


Paperboy

by PotatoPIerrot



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:58:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 95,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatoPIerrot/pseuds/PotatoPIerrot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being the only son of the head of a renowned company, Kagami had never actually understood the means of familial love. He never knew how it felt like to hold someone dear, nor did he know how it felt like to be held dear. But when he meets and somehow ends up involving himself with an orphaned paperboy, he discovers that maybe, just maybe, he would finally understand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> umm hey guys. It's TwoFacedPierrot from ff.net here ouo. 
> 
> I have no idea what's possessing me to try out this site, but yeahhhh //shot
> 
> I'll just see what kind of response I can get here and possibly go on my way idk anymore okay bye
> 
> at any rate, if you're still reading this, then thank you! Thanks so much for reading and have a nice day! :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: first name basis, eventual ooc-ness, bad writing  
> Disclaimer: Kurobasu does not belong to me.

It was still dark outside when he woke up.

Kuroko Tetsuya awoke to the insistent ringing of his alarm clock. He groaned softly, reaching out to turn the annoying thing off. He stayed under the layer of warmth his blanket provided for a little longer before he could summon enough willpower to brave the cold and make it safely to the bathroom at the opposite end of the corridor outside.

Kuroko took in a deep breath, and threw off the thick sheet covering his thinly body. He rubbed his arms as he quickly flung his legs off the edge of his bed and slipped his feet into a pair of worn-out slippers without making as much noise as possible. He was careful not to wake those who were sleeping in the same room with him. The younger ones were not morning people.

Kuroko managed to make his way to the bathroom without being frozen over. He closed the door once he was inside, savoring the little warmth the enclosed area provided. He then trudged over to the sink and proceeded to clean his teeth, all the while trying to keep himself awake by attempting to come up with a list of reasons why he hated winters. He gazed sleepily at the mirror as he ran his toothbrush over his teeth in steady, even strokes. Until this day, Kuroko had never been able to figure out how he was able to acquire such epic bed hair every time he woke up from sleep. His fringe stood straight up, and the rest of his head was a mess. Kuroko wetted his hands with water and ran his fingers through his light blue locks once he finished rinsing his mouth and washing his face, trying to at least tame them down a bit.

It made little difference, but Kuroko decided not to care. He would be late if he kept this up.

In barely ten minutes, Kuroko was running down the stairs after taking a very quick shower and changing out of his pajamas. He tugged the sleeves of his shirt over his hands as he headed towards the kitchen, wary of the cold. It wasn't difficult. The shirt was several sizes too big to begin with.

The smell of breakfast filled his nostrils once he entered the inner area of the orphanage he stayed in. Kuroko slipped in unnoticed, grabbing himself a piece of toast that was on the table before going back the way he came from. It didn't matter that he was still early or that he didn't join the others for breakfast. Kuroko never had a big appetite to begin with.

Kuroko was putting on his old coat when he heard his name being called by a familiar voice.

"Ah, you're awake, Tetsuya-kun!"

He turned towards the voice, swallowing the last of his breakfast. A lady in her early fifties entered his field of vision. She had graying brown hair and a slightly stocky frame, and she was wearing a faded apron over her clothes. There were crinkles at the corner of her eyes when she smiled.

"Matron," Kuroko greeted, moving his hands to button his coat. "Good morning."

"Morning," the lady said, walking over to where he was. "Going out already?"

"Yes." Kuroko nodded, winding a scarf around his neck. He tipped his head when Matron reached to help put his cap on, burying his nose slightly into the scarf as he did so. The garment smelled a little musty, but it was also comforting. He'd been wearing it for a long, long time.

"Thank you," he said, adjusting the paperboy cap so that it would fit properly on his head once the lady pulled back. "I'll be going now."

"Take care, okay?" Matron called after him. Kuroko paused before the front door and looked over his shoulder, a soft, assuring smile gracing his normally stoic features.

"I will."

And then he disappeared into the darkness outside.

The first thing he registered was the temperature; a coldness so intense that it seeped right through his layers of clothing and into his bones. Kuroko brought his bare hands to his mouth and blew; desperately trying to keep them from freezing. He had no gloves to wear. He couldn't afford to ask for a pair or even buy one himself. The money he was earning was for more important things.

Kuroko was an orphan and had been one for as long as he could remember. Matron had told him once that he'd been abandoned in the orphanage even since he was a baby; having nothing on him except for a blanket and a note stating his name and birth date. Kuroko never knew who his parents were, or if they were even alive. But as he got older, the thought eventually stopped bothering him. He decided that he  _did_  have a family, even if he wasn't related to them by blood. Matron and the other children - they were his family. They were the people he loved most in the world.

But in the recent years, the number of orphaned children started increasing at an alarming rate. More and more children were brought in, and more basic necessities were needed. Even with her savings from her younger days and the support of donors, Matron began experiencing financial difficulties; lacking in money to provide enough for everyone. Most of the orphans were under the age of ten, way too young to be living by themselves. Matron hadn't the heart to transfer them to other orphanages either. She felt like she was abandoning her duty if she did so.

The problems only piled up more, despite her struggling. Kuroko and several other older children couldn't bear watching any longer. They came to a decision that those who were thirteen and above should start helping out by trying to earn some money on their own. They had to do something to repay the lady that had lovingly taken them under her wing when they were crying and abandoned.

They had to do something to repay the only mother they'd known all their lives.

So Kuroko had searched and searched, and had finally found himself a part time job in the local newspaper company as a delivery boy. His job was to wake up earlier than the world every morning and cycle all around town to deliver the newspapers to the homes of those who'd subscribed to the issue. It wasn't easy. Kuroko had to drag approximately three hundred copies of newspaper with him on his bike around an average sized town. It didn't sound like a big deal to him at that time, but the first time Kuroko did his job, he'd nearly fainted halfway through. He wasn't strong in the first place, and his work was pushing him beyond his limit.

Still, Kuroko never gave up. Despite being two years underaged when he first took up the job, despite having to occasionally brave the cruel weathers to get his job done, despite having to practically go through hell, he did not quit. He was not going to give up so easily.

Kuroko made his way towards the small shed in the lawn, to where the falling-apart bicycles were parked. He managed to find his in the darkness and fetched it, wheeling it towards the gate. He then mounted the thing, and willing himself to ignore the cold, he started to pedal off.

It was five thirty in the morning, and the streets were dark with only streetlamps at intervals as the sole sources of illumination. Kuroko caught his breath as he went down a sloped road, his fingers poised at the brakes to prepare himself to slow down. Everyone else was still asleep, but some residents in the area were already waking up, Kuroko noticed. Rooms from random houses here and there were beginning to light up, signifying the start of the inhabitants' day. Kuroko had more than once subconsciously wondered how it felt like to live in a house that wasn't overcrowded with crying children. He'd always felt guilty afterwards for having such thoughts, but he couldn't help it. Will it be more peaceful? Or will feel lonelier? Will it be easier to breathe? Will it be more relaxing?

Kuroko tugged his scarf over his nose as he waited for the green light. He returned his hands to the handles of his bike, gripping the rubber material hard in an attempt to keep the blood flowing in his hands. He tilted his head towards the sky, silently hoping to see the first hints of dawn. No such luck. He tried not to sigh, pushing off again when the light changed.

He arrived at the office around ten minutes later, slightly breathless and practically shaking from the cold. Kuroko got off and leaned his bike against a wall before he entered the building, thanking the gods again and again for the warmth inside. He pulled his coat tighter around his overly thin frame, mustering as much heat as he could before having to go out again.

The office was bustling with activity; adults and part-timing youngsters rushing all over to get their share of delivery. Kuroko was careful not to get in anyone's way as he reported for duty in a logbook at the far end of the room. People tend not to notice him, and there had been more than one accident because of that.

Kuroko was hauling his fifth bag of newspapers to secure at the back of his bike when he was finally seen by his boss. Kuroko's boss was a big man with an even bigger heart. Kids weren't allowed to work at all, but when Kuroko first applied for a job at the age of eleven he'd offered him the simplest job he could with the same salary as everyone else. Seeing the small boy struggling with the load now, he strode over in several big steps, and lifted the bag of newspaper rolls easily, saying a hearty "Good morning!" as he did so.

Kuroko greeted back before muttering a soft "thank you". His boss smiled and patted his back, a look of pity in his jolly eyes.

"You can have the day off if you want, you know," he said gently, noticing just how badly the adolescent was shivering right then. "It's really cold today."

"I'll be alright," Kuroko insisted, shoving his hands deeper into his coat pockets. His boss stared at him for a moment more before turning on his heels, motioning for him to follow him back inside. Kuroko raised his eyebrows, but otherwise obliged.

His boss disappeared into his office once he was inside. Kuroko hung around uncertainly as he waited, leaning against a wall and pulling the rim of his cap lower over his eyes. He was grateful for the garment on his head. He figured he'd freeze his hair off if he didn't have it. He looked up when he heard the echo of footsteps, watching as his boss approached him with a pink item in his hands.

"It's a hot water bottle," the big man said, presenting him the item. Kuroko stared at it, unsure what he should do with it.

"It'll warm you up a little if you put in under your clothes," his boss explained, showing him the harness that would attach the bottle to his body to prevent it from falling off. "Come on. Take off your coat; I'll help you put it on."

Kuroko wanted to reject the offer. Really, he did. But extra warmth to help him withstand the freezing temperature outside seemed like something too good for him to refuse. It was just too cold outside! Slowly, Kuroko undid the buttons of his coat and slipped the nearly threadbare garment off. His boss stepped behind him, and started fastening the straps of harness around his torso.

Kuroko could barely contain his sigh of contentment as he welcomed the extra heat. He pulled his coat back on when everything was in place, thanking his boss again for his kindness.

The man smiled, placing a large hand above the boy's head affectionately. "It's the least I can do," he said before retracting his hand. "Now get going. We won't want the customers to be waiting for their daily paper now, do we?"

"Y-Yes!" Kuroko said, hurrying back outside with his boss waving behind him. He mounted his bicycle, and making sure that everything was secured properly, began pedaling off to start his deliveries.

**xXx**

Kagami stared up at the ceiling, wondering why the heck did he wake up so darn early in the morning (and on a  _Saturday_ , no less).

According to the digital clock on his nightstand, it was exactly six in the morning. Kagami glanced out his window, expecting to see the first rays of sunshine streaming in through. His expectations were crushed, however, because it was pitch black outside. Kagami was about to wonder if they was any chance he'd been somehow teleported to space or something, but decided against it. He was fourteen for heaven's sake! He didn't need such childish thoughts.

Kagami kicked off his blankets and pushed himself upright with his elbows. There was no heater in his room, but he didn't mind. Kagami liked the cold. He swung his legs off his bed and jumped down, his bare feet landing on soft carpeting. He raised his arms above his head and stretched, walking towards the window. He'd never actually woken up this early before. He was curious to see how the world outside looked like on a dark winter morning.

Kagami Taiga was the only son of the leader of the Kagami group. He was, needless to say, stinking rich. Or at least his father was. But despite practically having everything he would ever want, Kagami hated being rich. He hated having to be all controlled and monitored by his father at all times in case he ever got 'out of control' because it would 'ruin the family's image' or some nonsense like that. He hated having to live in a huge mansion scrambling with servants that despised him for some reason. He hated the whispers and stares and finger-pointing he'd receive whenever he went out with his dad.

He hated the fact that he was the sole inheritor of a fortune he didn't want.

Kagami touched the smooth surface of the glass window, feeling the cold creep up his fingers like a dozen tiny little spiders. The windows in his room faced the main road outside, so he could usually see the rest of the town from where he stood. Kagami had to squint a little now to see the areas that weren't illuminated by the faint street lights. A moving figure in his lawn caught his attention, and Kagami practically pressed his face on the window to get a better look.

It was his father's butler. Kagami watched with raised eyebrows as the man moved briskly towards the big metal gates that separated his home from the world, wondering what was he doing going outside so early in the morning. His curiosity was further piqued when he abruptly noticed the silhouette waiting outside his locked gate.

Kagami stood on his tiptoes for a better look. It was a.. boy? The overly large coat and hat made it hard to make sure, exactly, but Kagami was confident it was a kid waiting on the other side of the gates of his father's mansion. The guy looked.. thirteen? Younger? Probably. The size of his figure said as much. Kagami continued observing, his eyes following the butler who was now unlocking the gate.

He was further surprised when the boy outside reached inside one of the bulky canvas bags tied to the back of his bicycle and pulled out a rolled issue of papers. As he handed a set to the butler, Kagami realized with a start that the frail, thinly boy outside his gates was the very same person who delivers the newspapers to his house every morning. He blinked, not quite believing his eyes. The guy outside looked like he could barely cycle down the road without fainting, much less dragging so many bags of newspapers with him.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside Kagami's room, startling the redhead out of his reverie. Kagami's ears picked up the faint sounds of voices, and without even a second of hesitation, he turned away from the window, and practically dived back onto his bed. He struggled with the sheets for a moment before making it look like he'd been sleeping peacefully all along. He closed his eyes just in time when the door cracked open, no doubt one of his father's servants checking on him. It wasn't that Kagami was afraid of them discovering that he was awake. He just wanted to avoid the questions that would probably annoy the living heck out of him.

Kagami did not resume breathing until the door closed again and the footsteps began fading away. He let out a slow, long breath of unsuppressed relief as soon as he was engulfed in the original dimness of his room once again. He tried to relax, figuring he should try going back to sleep since he was already on his bed. He turned to his side, kicking off his blanket from his legs. His heart still pounded from the adrenaline rush, and after around five minutes of staring at the wall, Kagami gave up trying. It seems that he was not going to back to Dreamland.

So he got up once more, huffing in annoyance. He wasn't impressed by the fact that he was feeling hyperactive early in the morning without the need of coffee intake. Kagami crossed his legs and stared out his window as he tried to come up with something he could do to pass the time. It was too early and he had nothing planned in his schedule. Going downstairs would only create a big fuss, and Kagami wasn't sure if he could keep in temper in check long enough for the servants to leave him alone. Staying in his room with nothing to do in particular wasn't an option either, since there was practically nothing in there other than his bed and study table. There weren't even any books or magazines for him to read, much less a television or game console for him to entertain himself with.

An idea abruptly popped up in his mind, and Kagami had no second thoughts when he decided to go along with it. He once again got off his bed, striding over to his closet to retrieve a set of fresh clothes. He didn't bother trying to sneak out to the bathroom. He could bathe later when he gets back.

In practiced swiftness, Kagami changed out of his pajamas and moved to stuff the laundry under his blanket in an attempt to hide it or something. Thinking back, he had no idea why he did that. He then crept his way towards the door, and pressed his ear against the polished mahogany. He counted until fifty before deeming the situation safe enough for him to go. He wrapped his hand around the brass doorknob, and slowly, he twisted and pulled.

The creaking of the hinges made Kagami cringe. He braced himself for the sounds of servants rushing his way, but they never came. Kagami exhaled once before bracing himself, and moving into the open.

The hallways were empty. If Kagami didn't know better, he would've thought the mansion was abandoned. But he'd grown up in the place, and he was pretty sure the servants were busy cleaning up the first floor in this point in time. Not that his home ever needed much cleaning. Kagami was forbidden from bringing any friends over, and the only guests they'd ever had were those stiff, wrinkly, stressed-out adults who wanted to talk business with his father. They weren't exactly the kind to litter much.

Kagami carefully closed his door before turning around, glancing in all directions as he tried to come up with a route that would grant him a journey out of the mansion without being seen. After a brief consideration, he decided to go left, taking the risk of using the main stairs to go down. If he was lucky, most of the servants would be in the kitchen area; the exact opposite direction of where he would end up in. If he was not, he would need a really good excuse to explain why he had the urge to wander around in the streets alone in the wee hours of the morning.

Kagami's feet had just touched the carpeting of the first floor when he heard the soft chattering of a couple of maids. He quickly flattened himself against a wall to escape from their field of vision, for once grateful for the sound-absorbing property of the material covering the floor. He held his breath when the slender figures of the maids walked right past him, hoping with all his might that they wouldn't notice the extra presence.

To his relief, they did not notice him. They were too busy gossiping and Kagami had half a mind to give them a pay rise or something. He waited until the pair had disappeared round a corner before going into the open again, his long legs allowing him to take large strides at a time. He reached the foyer without bumping into anyone, and he thanked the nonexistent gods for the lack of activity in his home during mornings. He still hadn't prepared a good excuse in case he needed it.

He crossed the foyer, wary of the faintest of sounds that would hint the arrival of another person. His hand had just touched the freezing handle of the exit when a voice called out.

"Young master?"

Shit. He was so  _close_! Kagami forced himself not to look back as he pushed the doors open and slipped out, slamming it shut behind him. Instead of going straight for the gates, he dashed to the side and hid behind a thick growth of carefully trimmed bushes. He crouched down lower when the doors were once again opened from the inside, his father's butler poking his head out to check. It seemed like forever before the man went in again, apparently deciding not to go out into the cold again just yet.

Kagami got up from his hiding place and practically ran towards the gates. He figured he had less than three minutes to disappear before he was discovered missing from his room. He didn't even bother using keys to unlock the giant padlock that secured the chains looped around the metal gratings. He'd had a lot of practice climbing the thing when he was younger. Thieves might be intimidated by the height of the thing, but Kagami got up and over it in less than thirty seconds.

Kagami had no destination in mind to head to, but that was okay. He figured anywhere would do as long as he was away from home and the naggings he would get if he was caught sneaking out. He subconsciously reviewed the way the paperboy he saw earlier went and decided to follow. Kagami pulled the hood of his jacket over his flaming red hair as he jogged down the street, anxious to disappear as soon as possible. He wasn't looking forward to the insincere words of worry he would be receiving later on. If anything, he'd rather not hear any at all.

He finally slowed down after a while, deeming himself being a safe distance away from his home. Kagami was panting slightly, the cold winter air stinging his throat with every air intake. He lifted his head and looked around, trying to figure out where he was, exactly. With the help of streetlamps, Kagami recognized the playground a little further ahead, and was able to determine his location. If he went straight, he would be going towards the train station. To either side of him were residential areas.

Kagami decided not to stay in the open. He turned to his left and walked, crossing the road a little ahead to slip into a quiet lane. He tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jacket as he walked, the cold finally settling in once his adrenaline had faded slightly.

The area was quiet, though Kagami could already hear the faint sounds of households waking up; the sound of kitchen utensils clanking, blaring TVs, insanely loud alarm clocks. Kagami tried not to be suspicious, but with dogs barking whenever he passed particular houses, it wasn't easy. He made an effort to avoid houses with dogs after the first five times. He wasn't too fond of them to begin with.

Commoners have really comfortable-looking houses, Kagami mused inwardly to himself, making a turn at a corner. They might look small and compact with barely any space to walk around in, but Kagami could feel the warmth being radiated from the buildings. Other people's houses might be painfully small compared to his own, but at least theirs were full of life.

For the umpteenth time ever since he learnt how to think independently, Kagami wished he was a commoner. It would certainly suit his rebellious personality better.

Kagami stopped in his tracks. He had no idea where he was - he seemed to have walked for a long, long time - but he didn't care. The sun was finally beginning to rise, and by the faint light, Kagami spotted a park or some sort up ahead. He hesitated at first; unsure if he should walk a little more before taking a break. Was he far enough? He was pretty sure his father's men would never have thought of finding him in a secluded residential area. They weren't creative enough.

He should be okay. Kagami resumed walking, gazing up at the first rays of shine that illuminated the morning sky. The scenery was amazing, and Kagami felt slightly ashamed of himself. He'd lived fourteen years of life and this was the first time he'd witnessed a sunrise. He really should try waking up earlier sometimes.

Up close, the park wasn't very big, but that didn't matter. It was deserted when Kagami reached there, which was no surprise. Kids should be insane to abandon sleep just to frolic around in the grass. Kagami made his way towards one of the wooden benches, and sat down, the sore feeling in his feet finally sinking in. He leaned back, tilting his head upwards to let out a weary breath. He watched with halfhearted interest as faint white mist escaped from his mouth and faded once it reached a certain height in the air.

"Um.."

Kagami's attention snapped back to earth, his nerves instantly on high alert mode. Was he found? He glanced around almost frantically, but there was no one there. Did he imagine it?

"I'm over here."

Kagami turned to the direction of the voice and blinked; once, twice. Then suddenly, standing before him as if he'd teleported there, was a boy.

And it wasn't just any boy. Kagami recognized him from his attire. He was the paperboy he saw in the morning.

It was all Kagami could do to refrain from screaming.

"W-W-When did you get here?" he managed to blurt out once he snapped out of his stunned stupor. Seriously - when the heck was he there? How long has he been there? He just appeared out of nowhere, dammit!

The other boy furrowed his brow slightly, as if the question offended him. Other than that tiny twitch in his features, he showed no evident emotion.

"I've been here all along," he said, his voice a monotone. "You were the one who sudden sat on my place."

Kagami stared at him - half in incredulousness, half in curiosity. The stranger had large, blank eyes the color of the sky. His large cap covered most of it, but Kagami could make out several wisps of light blue hair peeking out from under the garment. The boy's complexion was pale, almost as if all the color in his face has been drained out. He didn't seem very healthy; with his skinny figure and all.

Kagami wanted to retort that the benches didn't particularly belong to anyone when he noticed the bicycle leaning against the very same bench he was sitting on from the corner of his eye. Apparently, the guy did take the place first..  _technically_. With a soft groan, Kagami started getting up.

"You can sit with me if you want," the boy said before he could straighten up completely. Kagami glared at him past lowered lashes, doing his best to keep his temper in check. Who does the guy think he is ordering him around like that? Would he decide what he wanted already? With a unconcealed sigh, he sat back down, scooting over to the side to give the stranger some place. He tried not to look as the bluenette took his seat next to him, his feet just barely touching the ground when he leaned back.

A very awkward silence promptly started to form between them. Kagami kept his eyes fixed at the houses in the distance, resisting the urge to fidget. He really wasn't good at dealing with moments like these. Should he start a conversation? If he was to do that, what should he say? Or should he just save himself the trouble and walk off?

"So.. you deliver newspapers, huh?" Kagami decided to play it safe.

The bluenette paused from blowing into his hands and looked at the redhead. He sounded surprised, as though he didn't expect to be talked to at all. "Eh?"

"Newspapers," Kagami nodded at the bike behind them. "You're the one who delivers them in this area?"

The boy nodded, hands moving to hug his own elbows. Looking at him made Kagami feel cold, though he was sure the temperature was beginning to rise a little since the sun had finally decided to make an appearance. He couldn't blame the guy. He was all skin and bone! Of course he was cold despite the layers of clothing he seemed to be wearing.

"You feeling cold?" Kagami asked, couldn't help pitying the poor guy. For a second, the bluenette looked like he was about to deny it, but apparently, his willpower crumbled, and his reply was a soft "Yes."

"Maybe we should get you something warm to drink," Kagami suggested, casting his gaze around. Not far off was a cluster of vending machines. One of them looked like it had a dispenser. Kagami blessed the gods for letting the Japanese put the most convenient vending machines at the most unexpected places. "I'll go get us some coffee or something."

Kagami didn't stay long enough to hear the other's answer because he was sure he'd reject his offer. He headed towards the machines, fishing his wallet from his jeans pocket. He was glad he'd developed a habit of bringing spare change in case of emergencies. He approached the machine with the dispenser and studied the options he had. After several seconds of contemplation, he finally decided to have mocha for himself, and hot chocolate for the other boy. He returned to the bench, carrying two paper cups filled with warm drinks in his hands.

"Here," he said, handing the hot chocolate to the boy. The bluenette reluctantly accepted his offer, muttering a quiet thank you as he accepted the cup from the redhead.

"Anyway," Kagami took his seat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, taking a sip of his drink before resuming. He regarded the other boy through the corner of his eye."I'm Kagami Taiga."

Only after blurting that out did he realize that perhaps revealing his family name wasn't the wisest thing to do since his father's company was rather famous and all. Kagami prayed hard for the bluenette not to suspect anything, all the while trying to keep a straight face.

If the name was familiar to him, the latter didn't let on. He wrapped his hands around the cup and looked straight at the redhead. "I'm Kuroko Tetsuya," he said, before tilting his head in a slight bow. "Nice to meet you."

"Um..  _yeah_." Kagami felt awkward with all the formalities. He wasn't used to being talked to with such a polite manner from a stranger. Even his friends at school were the rebellious type and spoke like they constantly wanted a fight or something.

"Nee, Kagami-kun," Kuroko spoke up after a while of silence, swallowing the last of his chocolate. "Is there a favor you'd like me to do for you?"

Kagami paused drinking midway and stared at him blankly, his brain failing to process. "Huh?"

"I need to repay you for the drink," Kuroko stated matter-of-factly, his face betraying any signs of expression. "I can't do that with money, so I'll do you a favor instead."

Kagami continued staring at him, confusion slowly morphing to incredulousness. "Did I forget to say that that was a treat?"

"I don't want to owe anyone anything," Kuroko persisted, holding the redhead's gaze. "So hurry up and tell me what you want me to do. I need to get back to work soon."

"But-" Kagami opened his mouth to argue, but stopped once he received a look from the shorter boy. It was then he realized that this Kuroko guy would probably insist on repaying him no matter what he said. Kagami resisted a sigh. He met a difficult person, it seems. Some people just didn't understand the concept of 'treating for free'.

"It's impossible for me to think up of something on the spot, you know," Kagami huffed, scratching the back of his head. He then faintly heard the sounds of tires on gravel in a distance, and he tensed, abruptly remembering that he was probably being hunted down by his father's security staff this very minute. No, he didn't want to go home yet. His body and mind and soul weren't ready for the naggings he would get when he's dragged back.

Kuroko noticed the tension in his features, and tilted his head to the side, eyebrows raised slightly in curiosity. "Is something wrong?"

Kagami blinked, realizing he must've had a very panicked expression on his face to be asked if he was okay. His mind raced for ideas; ideas that would help postpone his death sentence for as long as he could help it. His looked around, his gaze finally settling on the bags of undelivered newspapers tied to the back of Kuroko's bicycle. He did some estimations. He wasn't good in maths at all, but he guess there would be enough there to last him two hours at best.

Making up his mind, he turned back to the now very confused-looking Kuroko. "You said I could ask for a favor, right?"

Kuroko studied his face, as if trying to figure out why he'd suddenly changed his mind about the favor thing just by looking at his facial expressions. "Yes."

"Then," Kagami's scarlet eyes flashed as he said the words, almost pleadingly. "Let me follow you for the rest of your deliveries."

Kuroko could only blink at him. "Eh?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh thanks so much for the responses guys ;;_;; asfdha;skdhfa;sd
> 
> I've already updated up to chapter 4 in my ff.net account so please don't freak out at my updating speed just yet because I'm just here to warn you that I'm a very, VERY slow updater. so yeahhhh. though my holidays are almost here and I'll have some free time by then ouo
> 
> Also, regarding the first name basis: I guess I made them call each other by their given names because let's just consider this: they're orphans. Calling each other by family names in an orphanage is just.. illogical? Or to the very least, unsuitable. So if you have a problem with that, then I guess I'll be losing some readers lol /shot
> 
> anyway, thanks so much again for the responses! ;;u;;.

Kagami was most humbly declined.

The reason was simple. Kuroko's old bike could barely hold him without letting out some not-so assuring creaks. There was just no way it could carry two people at the same time. Besides, his bicycle was made for a single passenger. Kagami wouldn't fit even if he wanted to.

Also, Kuroko wasn't keen on being slowed down in his job. His boss might not yell at him, but the customers certainly would. He'd been ticked off by so many impatient customers over the years that he'd lost count. Kagami reasoned that he'd just tail him from behind, but Kuroko stood his ground. He knew he wouldn't be able be concentrate on his work with a boy he'd just met practically stalking him wherever he went.

"And what if Kagami-kun loses sight of me halfway through? Would you know the way back? Or would you be utterly lost?" Kuroko asked after spending precious minutes to reason with the redhead, intent on not letting him follow. It wasn't just for his own sake, but for Kagami's sake too. He wanted to save as much trouble as he could. He needed to get everything done and return home so that he could help take care of the younger children. He didn't want to waste time doing meaningless things. If Kagami was to be stranded on the other side of town, 1) it would bother his family 2) it will bother Kuroko because  _he_  will probably be the one responsible to look for him.

"Well, it depends on where you'll be going," Kagami shrugged, trying to sound casual when inside he was already getting ready to sprint away at the first sight of a car. When Kuroko told him where his last stop would be (a self-owned shop almost half a town away), Kagami's hopes to go back by himself vanished on the spot. He wasn't even sure where he was  _now_ , much less where he'll be that far off. Last he checked, he didn't even have enough on him for a taxi ride either. If he went, he'll probably be lost like a very, very pathetic puppy.

Yeah. His dad would be  _so_  proud.

Kagami had yet to make up his mind when he abruptly realized that Kuroko was missing from beside him. He glanced around almost frantically before finally noticed the latter mounting his bike. In a sudden rush of unexplainable panic, he let out a yelp. How the heck did he even  _do_  that? Kuroko paused for a second, balancing himself on one leg before glancing over his shoulder, shooting the redhead a weird look. Kagami felt himself blush in self-consciousness. That yelp was a bad move.

There was a short moment of silence in which Kagami was busy thinking of an excuse to explain his not-so manliness while Kuroko continued staring at him with a single eyebrow raised. Kagami was about to start fidgeting when the latter's expression softened suddenly, as if he'd came to some sort of understanding.

"Just walk straight down that road until you reach the third junction," Kuroko started, raising a finger towards the path where Kagami had came from. His gesture successfully earned himself several blank blinks from the taller boy. It took exactly ten seconds for Kagami to realize that he was actually giving him directions.

Which meant he  _knew_  who he was.

"How did you-" Kagami trailed off when he saw the tiny, almost mysterious smile on the other boy's face. Kuroko continued talking as though he'd never spoken up at all.

"Then turn right and walk a little further down. You should be able to see the side gate of your home at some point."

"But how-" Kagami started, but stopped himself. He decided not to question how Kuroko recognized him. He'd probably seen him in papers or in the streets or during his deliveries or what not. Heck, his name probably gave everything away like he'd initially thought it would. No big deal.

"You need to find your way back home, right?" Kuroko said, the small smile still plastered on his features. Kagami couldn't help but notice how much warmer he looked without that totally emotionless face of his.

"Uh, yeah," Kagami managed to blurt out after realizing that he'd probably been staring. Hard. "Thanks."

"Anyway, I'll be going now." Kuroko turned back and adjusted himself for a more comfortable position on his bike. "It was nice meeting you, Kagami-kun."

Without even waiting for Kagami's reply, he pedaled off, leaving the said boy too stunned to process most of the events that'd just happened. Wait. Kagami did a mental rewind. Was he just  _dumped_? He knew Kuroko had never agreed to let him follow in the first place, but still. It was practically " _oh hi I'm Kuroko and I know who you are and where you live no you can't follow me I'm on a job here's how you get back home goodbye_ ". Come on. You have to admit that's a little mean, as whiny as that made Kagami sound.

A defeated sigh escaped his lips. He couldn't blame Kuroko for reacting like that though. His request  _did_  sound rather stalker-ish. Face the fact; no one would be that trusting to let a person he'd just met follow him around - and while he was on a job, no less. Kagami had to admit that he was being inconsiderate.

Might as well go home, Kagami decided and got on his feet, taking a deep breath of fresh cold winter air. His urge to go further away had crumbled to nothing anyway. He crumpled the empty paper cup in his hands and took aim before throwing it squarely into the metal trash can nearby. He figured that if he was lucky, he'd somehow manage to slip back into his home without being noticed. He hoped the family staff wouldn't have thought of watching out for him to return.

With that in mind, Kagami began walking again, following the directions that Kuroko had given him earlier. He was glad that his back was facing the rising sun now. It would save him the trouble of covering his eyes as he walked. One thing about winters: when its dark, its dark. When its bright, it's the 'Ow my eyes I can't see anything other than yellow' kind of bright. It had probably been only fifteen minutes or so since Kagami saw the sunrise, but there was already enough light for the street lamps to be turned off.

Most parts of the neighborhood were definitely awake now. Kagami was occasionally greeted by the household members (usually ladies, regardless of age) who were watering the plants in their compact gardens whenever he walked passed them. He'd nodded politely back at them, out of courtesy. He might be rebellious, but at least he still had manners. He'd gotten himself more than one "what a nice young man" comment in the process. He's just popular with the ladies like that.

Though most of them were  _way_  out of his age preference, but that's besides the point.

Kagami casted his gaze around when he reached the junction. There were still no signs of his father's men looking for him. Were they even trying? Kagami thought not. He wasn't sure if he should be glad or offended. Or both. He decided not to dwell on in. Kagami let the breeze caress his cheeks as he recalled what Kuroko had told him. Which way was he supposed to go again? He wasn't really paying attention when the guy told him. Was he supposed to go right? Or left? Kagami scratched the back of his head. It's left, right? He was pretty sure it was left.

But a nagging feeling at the back of his mind told him it wasn't. Maybe it was right after all? Kagami exhaled in frustration. He might be wanting to escape the chides he was bound to get when he gets home, but he wasn't looking forward to ending up wandering aimlessly around the world either. Kagami wanted to punch himself in the face for being a nincompoop. Why didn't he listen properly earlier?

Kagami looked to his left, then his right. He did remember Kuroko telling him that he would eventually see the side gate of his home if he walked straight after turning at the junction. Maybe he should try both? It sounded like the safest try. All he had to do was walk down one road to see if he was going the right way and turn back if he was not. It seemed like a pretty fair risk to take. Some extra exercise wouldn't kill him. Probably.

Kagami decided to let his instincts take over. He didn't think; only let his legs take him wherever they wanted.

And he went right.

**xXx**

By the time Kuroko made his final delivery, it was almost eight.

The day was completely bright by then, and it was also starting to warm up. Kuroko removed his cap from his head as he took a break at a old unused bus stop, exposing his hair to the gentle heat of the morning sun. It felt nice. The top of his head was already starting to feel damp from the stuffiness of his cap. He raked his fingers through the flattened locks of blue, feeling the breeze drying the sweat that had somehow accumulated there despite the cold. He wasn't sure how it worked, but doing that seemed to lessen his exhaustion by a fraction. Other than the yawn that escaped his lips right after, Kuroko felt energized again.

Kuroko spent several more minutes watching the occasional cars that passed by the road before him, enjoying the serenity of it all. The town he stayed in wasn't exactly the busiest one around, but it could still get pretty rowdy on weekdays. On weekends and holidays, on the other hand, the people barely ever got out of their houses. There weren't much to do outside, and the good shows are usually on air in TV during off days.

Kuroko took in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly through his mouth. The down side about his weekends was that it was usually more tiring than his schooling days. Not the physical sort of tiring; more to the mental sort. Without school occupying half his day, Kuroko would have to help out in the orphanage along with the other older children. He'd be running around cleaning up the mess that the younger ones would sometimes make, hanging the laundry, cleaning the house, all that. He'd never complained once, and he really  _liked_  children; but sometimes - just  _sometimes_ , Kuroko wanted a breather. He needed some space and time to spend alone. He'd always been the type to prefer sitting down in a corner and read in peace rather than joining others in games and conversations. It wasn't that the younger children were loud, whiny brats. They just had this strange affection towards the pale boy, as well as a tendency to stick to him wherever he went. Unfortunately, toilet breaks were included.

Even now as he listened to the distant cheerful chirping of birds, Kuroko couldn't help slightly dreading the moment when he had to return and entertain the others. Peace was something he seldom experienced, and he was reluctant to let it go. But Kuroko had always put duty ahead of his own selfish needs. As long as others are contented, he figured he'll be okay. He could always get peace and rest when he went to sleep every night.

He had a role to play as a 'big brother' when he gets back.

Cycling without three hundred newspapers tied to the back of his bike was much less draining. It felt a lot lighter, and it required a lot less energy to move. Kuroko sped along the mostly deserted streets, careful to keep to the bicycle lane in case there were any incoming cars. He'd kept his cap off and tucked safely in his coat pocket so there wasn't a need for him to worry about losing the garment as he relished the feeling of fresh dry winter air whipping his hair back and prickling the exposed skin of his face and hands. There was only one thing Kuroko truly enjoyed about his job; and that was the journeys back after his final deliveries. The combination of the feeling of accomplishment and the thrill of racing himself in empty streets after being released from the burden of dozens of newspapers was perhaps one of the best feelings ever.

Kuroko had to slow down, however, when he arrived at the busier area of that particular side of town where the newspaper company was located. As he waited for the traffic lights to change at one point, he took the chance to cast his gaze skywards. It had not snowed in the area for the last three years, and Kuroko had no complains about that. It was cold enough as it was already. Kuroko squinted at little at the bright blue that flooded his vision; a blue, he was often told, that mirrored the color of his eyes. At that moment, he knew that had to be a lie. Nothing in a person's appearance would be able to compare to something that beautiful at all.

The sky was cloudless, which meant there'll be lots of sunlight. Which also meant it'll be a little warmer later on. That was good. If things went well, the children might just be allowed to run around outside a little and play.

Kuroko made sure to return the hot water bottle to his boss when he got back to the office to sign out. It might've been just a mere act of kindness or pity from the man, but to Kuroko, it made a huge difference. He wasn't sure if he'd have the willpower to keep going on in the freezing environment without that little extra heat. He said his thanks again to his boss when he gave the item back, and the big man only replied him with a sunny grin.

"Good work today!" he'd told him, handing him the brown envelope containing his salary before hurrying off to greet the customers that'd personally went there themselves to get their papers. Kuroko pocketed his pay in a special compartment in his coat, heading towards the thick logbook at the corner. He proceeded to leaf through the pages, looking for his own record in the morning. He found it after several tries, going ahead to sign his name in neat, tiny penmanship. He then set down the pen and closed the book, and made his way outside again.

The way back home was actually more exhausting than the way out; with all the slopes he had to go up on and all that. The muscles in Kuroko's calves burnt with his effort to drag himself uphill, but the feeling was more familiar than painful. The dry air stung his throat whenever he took in deep inhales of air. Kuroko made a mental note to drink lots of water when he gets back. He didn't want to be getting sick because of a sore throat anytime soon.

With the sun fully up, Kuroko could see the orphanage from all the way down the street. It wasn't very big, but compared to the houses of an average Japanese, it wasn't very small either; considering the fact that it could fit over thirty people. Its walls were painted a cheery yellow, but had long faded over the years. The older orphans had yet to decide on a date to do the repainting. There was a good-sized lawn stretching out all the way toward the metal gate; a marble tea table set at one side, small shed at another.

Kuroko came to a stop right outside the gate and proceeded to get off his bicycle. He reached out toward the metal grating and pushed, making enough space for him and his bicycle to pass through. As he returned his bike to where he'd retrieved it in the morning, he noticed that the number of bicycles there had decreased. It seems that some of them are still out.

Arriving home after even a short while of absence was never a quiet affair for Kuroko if the younger children were awake and around. As soon as he stepped into the entryway, he was immediately greeted by dozens of high-pitched voices screaming his name. Kuroko could never actually figure out why, but kids really liked him. Some said it was because he had this kind, gentle aura around him, but he was never sure.

"Tetsu nii-chan! Welcome back!"

Kuroko closed the door behind him before turning to face the eager children, unwinding the scarf from his neck as he did so.

"I'm back," he said softly, letting a tiny smile grace his lips. He heard several swoons in the distance, and he decided it was better for him not to find out who that was. He hung his coat and scarf before bending down to remove his shoes. The kids parted to make way for him when he stepped in, all staring up at him with those big, big eyes.

"Welcome back, Tetsuya!"

Kuroko's gaze snapped back up at the familiar voice. A boy with short, messy dark gray hair and bright eyes of the same color was popping his head out from the kitchen area, a grin spread across his face. He waved elaborately as if he was afraid he wouldn't be noticed despite being only a short distance away from where the other stood.

Kuroko noticed him, of course. How could he not? Ogiwara Shigehiro was practically the closest friend/brother he'd ever had in his life. They used to be an inseparable pair when they were younger. Wherever Kuroko was, Ogiwara was there too. There had even been rumors going around once that they were both abandoned on the same day or something - Matron had never confirmed it, so no one actually knew.

"Shigehiro-kun," Kuroko greeted, nodding towards the mentioned boy's direction in case his voice was drowned out by the noisy children all around him. Ogiwara's grin got a fraction wider before his whole body emerged from the kitchen. He wore a t-shirt with track bottoms, slippers on his feet, and a flowery apron around his waist. Knowing him, he was probably helping out with the cooking in his pajamas. Almost nothing could make the guy change out of his sleeping clothes before a bath during holidays.

Ogiwara carefully stepped around a mound of toys left on the floor as he made his way over, yelling at whoever who'd left it there to clean the thing up before it hurt someone.  _Again_. There were groans of unwillingness all around, but he ignored them.

"So," he started, stopping right in front of Kuroko with the smile still plastered on his face. Being more or less a head taller, he had to tilt his head slightly downwards when he talked to him. "Do you need anything? A hot drink? A hot bath? A rest?"

Ogiwara was like a doting wife and he knew it. Even so, he couldn't help it. He was the only one among the orphans aged thirteen and above who didn't have a job. He couldn't find a decent one even after years of searching. He figured the least he could do to lessen his lack of usefulness was by being the one who fusses over those who'd just returned from work.

Kuroko was always the one who got special attention though.

"I'm -" Kuroko was just about to tell him that he was okay when Ogiwara grabbed his hands.

"Whoa." Ogiwara's eyes widened dramatically. He was exceptionally good at overreacting. "Is it really that cold outside?"

Kuroko shrugged. Ogiwara shook his head, as if he couldn't believe how stupid people like Kuroko were going out into the open in freezing temperatures. Without another word, he dragged the shorter boy deeper into the living room, to where the single kotatsu they had was placed. He shooed off several of the kids who were already there to make some space before coaxing the latter to tuck his legs under the warm blanket. Some might think of Ogiwara's actions as a form of bully, but in that particular house, the occurrence had long became normal. The younger children were more than happy to oblige, anyway. Kuroko was really treasured by everyone around him.

"Now you sit there while I go get you something warm to drink," Ogiwara told him before looking over his shoulder. "Oi, Kouki!" he called out to one of the older young ones (older young ones?  _Whatever_ ) who was peacefully watching TV nearby. The mentioned boy had longish light brown hair, and constantly looked fidgety. He practically jumped when his name was called.

"Y-Yes?" His voice came in something dangerously resembling a squeak. He looked at Ogiwara like he was afraid the latter would eat him or something.

Ogiwara only let out a good natured laugh at his reaction, though that somehow contradicted with what he was about to do. "Would you do me a favor?"

"Umm.. sure?" The younger boy was wary of Ogiwara's occasional impossible favors.

"Would you be as kind to draw a bath for our precious Tetsuya here while I go get him something hot to drink?" Ogiwara asked, his tone hinting an order rather than a normal question. Kouki didn't even stay to argue. He just stood up, and made his way upstairs to get the bath ready. Satisfied, Ogiwara turned on his heels and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Kuroko would've stopped Kouki if the urge to soak himself in warm water wasn't so great. He slipped his hands under the thick sheets of the kotatsu and wriggled his fingers, feeling the blood flow slowly returning to them. His hands felt like they were being defrosted, and it felt good. Kuroko couldn't help but let out a soft sigh of contentment as he felt the gentle warmth spread up his arms and towards the rest of his body.

"Here you go." A blue plastic mug was placed on the table before him. Kuroko retracted his arms from under the blanket and wrapped his hands around the mug.

"Thank you, Shigehiro-kun," he told the taller boy before bringing the item towards his lips to take a sip.

"Just tell me if you need anything else." Ogiwara huffed and placed his hands on his hips. "I think the bath should be ready soon," he mused aloud in a mutter.

Silence followed soon after. Raising an eyebrow, Ogiwara bent over slightly, wondering what was wrong. Kuroko wasn't the type to directly ignore someone like that. Ogiwara's confusion only increased further when he realized that the former was staring at the drink before him with a strange look on his stoic face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, feeling slightly worried that maybe he'd messed up when he made the drink. Maybe it tasted funny or something? Or maybe it was too hot?

But Kuroko only shook his head, wrapping his fingers a little tighter around the smooth surface of the plastic.

"It's.. nothing," he said, staring at the dark drink in his hands like it was the weirdest thing in the world. "I just remembered that I'd drank hot chocolate too earlier this morning."

**xXx**

It turns out that Kuroko's 'a little further' was a  _lot_  further than it sounded.

If the journey to the afterlife was this far, Kagami would've preferred staying on earth as a malevolent ghost instead when he dies. The road was a straight stretch - as Kuroko had said - and it lasted forever. Kagami kicked a pebble with the tip of his sneaker as he trudged on, wondering if he'd really gotten the directions wrong and was actually wasting his time looking for something that wasn't there. It was hard to tell. His guts were normally never wrong. His instincts told him he was going the right way (literally), despite the doubts in his mind.

He was the only one using the road. Kagami stopped in his tracks every once in a while to look around just to make sure he didn't walk right past his own home or something, and he did not see another person there once. The place was deserted, but not in an eerie way. A stray cat observed silently from its perch on top of a wall as Kagami walked by it, its feline eyes shining in curiosity. Kagami stared back, his face set in a near-permanent scowl. He wasn't sure if his expression was really  _that_  fierce at that moment, but the cat hissed at him once and disappeared to the other side of the wall.

A tired sigh escaped Kagami's lips, and he continued walking. For how long had he been going down this road? His legs were beginning to hurt, and his breathing was turning ragged. He figured he must really be out of shape to tire out so easily. Kagami halfheartedly considered waking up a little earlier on other mornings to go for walks to make himself fit again. Or at least as fit as he ever was.

Kagami finally arrived at the end of the road after god knows how long of walking. He once again looked around, looking for signs of his home. Maybe he  _did_  go the wrong way after all? No, wait. That wall there on the opposite side of the road stretching out to his left - it seemed familiar. Kagami thought for a moment. It had the same color scheme of those surrounding his home. Even the metal spikes lining the top had the same theme and design.

Despite his earlier insistent refusal to return, Kagami felt the grin of relief spreading across his face. He did it. He managed to find his way home.

And he was  _so_  going to hit Kuroko upside the head for not giving him the proper information when he sees him again.  _If_  he sees him again. Ever.

Now there was the second problem: sneaking his way back inside. Kagami hung back as he tried to visualize the set up of his father's mansion. He'd been there long enough to easily picture everything there is in his mind. Through the gate into the back lawn. Past the gardens. Then two options: up the tricky footholds on the pipe fastened on the wall or risk going in through the kitchen door. The pipe would be faster, but more dangerous. Kagami wasn't sure if he could handle hauling himself up the thing even when the window leading into his room was right next to it.

He was going to get nagged at either way, so Kagami figured it didn't matter. He decided to use the kitchen door.

Compared to the main gate, the in the back garden was much easier to climb over. Kagami winced involuntarily when he landed on the grass, the pull of his momentum and weight burdening his already aching legs more. He spared a moment to let the pain fade before carefully straightening up to survey his surroundings. There was no one around. So far so good. He headed past the thick growth of well cared-for plants toward the building that loomed ahead.

The door leading into the kitchen was plainly colored with suspicious dark spots splashed here and there. Kagami prayed with all his might for it to be unlocked as he reached for the handle. If it was locked, he would rather climb the pipe than go in through the main entrance. He was sure his father's men were probably stupidly standing there waiting for him to come home or something.

Very slowly, Kagami pulled the handle and pushed, his heart pounding frantically in his chest. He almost let out a cheer of victory when the door parted from its frame.

His moment of triumph, however, ended when a gruff voice sounded from the inside.

"Who goes there?"

Kagami blanched.  _Uh-oh._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> about time i copy pasted the rest of the chapters blehhhh //shotforbeinglazy

Kuroko burst into the house, nearly slamming the door behind him.

His job had dragged on longer than usual thanks to a mess-up they had in the office, and he was behind schedule. Kuroko ignored the strange, worried stares he received from the occupants in the living room as he briskly made his way upstairs. He had exactly twenty minutes for him to clean up and change into his uniform and cycle to school. Things weren't looking too bright for him. His journey to school alone took usually took that long.

Kuroko hoped he wouldn't develop bad body odor  _now_  of all times as he pulled off his sweater and donned a white t-shirt. He was never the type to smell bad after sweating (it was pretty warm for a winter day), but fate was a cruel,  _cruel_  thing. Kuroko prayed that his blazer could cover most of the stench if it ever came to that. He used one hand to deftly work on the buttons of his shirt, the other to grab his outermost garment that was hanging on the back of the chair nearby.

"I'm going out," Kuroko announced after successfully daring himself to go down the stairs two at a time. He stepped into the entryway and started hastily pulling on his sneakers, silently thankful that he'd bought them a size larger. It certainly made hurrying easier. Kuroko had just the time to hear the children in the living room wish him a hasty 'Have safe journey' before disappearing outside again.

It was difficult to maneuver his bike in high speeds when there were so many cars around. Kuroko liked to cycle fast, but he wasn't reckless. He could feel his frustration rising to an unhealthy level with every stop he had to make. He was going to be late, and he didn't like it at all.

Kuroko never fancied missing school, but at that moment, he wasn't sure if he had a choice. He couldn't afford to reveal the fact that he was having a part-time job while he was still underaged when the need to explain his reason to be late arises - though, now that he thought of it, it's not that his teacher would notice him slipping into the classroom anyway. His fingers tapped the handles of his bicycle impatiently as he waited for a safe timing to make his move at a forked road, mentally making estimations on his chances of reaching school in time. He had ten minutes left, and quite a long way to go. And the number of cars were just increasing. The odds were  _not_  in his favor.

Kuroko's mind worked to come up with shortcuts. There  _had_  to be something good coming from his morning job as a paperboy. He let his gaze wander off the next time he stopped, trying to think up of any alternate paths he could use to get to his destination faster. Maybe he could use the lane over there and go through the park? Or maybe he could go straight instead of turning at the junction he was currently in?

But no matter how he calculated, how he pondered over the thought, Kuroko just couldn't come up with something that could ensure a fast and safe journey. The route he was taking now was already the shortest and fastest. His alternatives might be less cramped up with cars and stops, but he'd have to make big detours if it came to that. Kuroko decided that detours weren't exactly what he needed right now. He took a quick glance at his watch as he pedaled on for all he's worth. He was not the type to curse, but this time, he couldn't help biting back one. He wasn't going to make it.

And he didn't. By the time he arrived at school, the gates had already been closed, and the bell signifying the first lessons had already went off. Kuroko didn't bother concealing a tired sigh as he slowly came to a stop a distance away from the entrance. His breathing was labored and uneven, his heartbeat out of rhythm. He didn't make it.

Really, there shouldn't be a need for him to get so darned worked up over missing just a day of school, but Kuroko's conscience had other ideas. Matron was willing to spend some of her precious savings just to let the orphans above the age of seven go to school like any other children, and Kuroko wasn't an exception. Seirin Middle School did not demand an irrational amount of fees, and Kuroko  _might_  have somehow managed to get himself a half scholarship, but he didn't want all that money to go to waste. Though there had been times when he'd accidentally fall asleep in class ( _shh_!), that wasn't the point. He wanted to make the most out of what he was granted with. He didn't want to waste Matron's money unnecessarily.

But he was late and unless he found his inner power to turn back time right then, there was nothing he could do. Kuroko took a minute to let his breathing return to normal before beginning to think of what he should do next. Not that he had much of a choice. He figured he'll just go back and explain his reappearance to Matron. He could only hope that his face wouldn't be too contorted with guilt when the time comes.

He reached up to pull down the zipper of his blazer slightly, another sigh escaping his lips. The cold air felt good against his exposed neck. The day was already unusually warm, and Kuroko's adrenaline at its peak thanks to his anxiety to reach school in time only made him sweat more under his layers of clothing. Kuroko made a split second decision to unzip his blazer all the way before starting to ride off again, letting it flap behind him like some kind of cape whenever he accelerated. He figured the least he could do was dry off a little before he got home.

The main street was still packed with vehicles when Kuroko made his way back there, and the boy made another abrupt decision to let the traffic tone down a little before he continued. He was sick and tired of having his momentum being interrupted by other traffic users. Kuroko liked a smooth journey whenever he was on his bike, and that was  _that_. He made a turn and veered into the path which led to a children's playground nearby.

Kuroko got off his bicycle once he arrived at his destination. There wasn't enough space for him to continue riding it around, and he wasn't willing to risk banging onto something. He wheeled his bike with him as he approached the empty swings, leaning it against one side of the metal frame before settling down on a rubber seat. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands. The sounds of busy traffic in the distance was giving him the start of a migraine. He took in a slow, deep breath. Then another. And another. Until the insistent jab in his temples started to fade.

" _Ah_." Kuroko straightened, twisting to fish his cellphone from his pocket. He flipped it open, his fingers moving to click on the buttons with practiced accuracy. He figured he should tell Ogiwara about his absence before the latter starts to freak out when he doesn't spot him in his class during recess later. He typed out a short message and clicked the send button, shutting his phone once the loading arrows stopped moving. He then slipped the device back into its original place, exhaling softly through his mouth in the process. He wrapped his fingers around the pair of hanging chains securing the swing seat, and leaned back, averting his gaze skywards.

The sudden burst of sunlight flooding his vision temporarily blinded him, and Kuroko had to shut his eyes. He tilted his head back to earth, blinking the green spots out of his sight. The clock in his phone told him it was around eight thirty in the morning the last time he checked. If his calculations were correct, rush hour was almost over, and the roads will soon be mostly free of vehicles again.

Kuroko decided to give himself around ten more minutes before he resumed his way home. He bent forward, releasing his grip on the chains to massage his suddenly aching calves. The fact that he didn't register the dull pain until everything had calmed down didn't surprise him. He was too busy being distracted by more important things, and he'd probably strained himself in the process. He had to admit: delivering nearly two hundred newspapers in less than an hour was probably his best record yet. Not that his body appreciated that particular achievement. Kuroko could already feel his other joints throbbing in protest when he straightened up again.

He swung himself back and forth slightly as he looked around, taking in the sight before him. A little further ahead from the swings was a set of the usual playground equipment: slides, monkey-bars, the like. There was a sandbox behind him, a see-saw a little to his left. Kuroko felt nostalgia tugging his heart. The memory was fuzzy for he was still very young at that point in time, but he vaguely remembered the times when he used to frolic around in a playground himself, together with a group of close friends who were no longer by his side. He remembered the times when Ogiwara wasn't the only one who was always with him.

However, the memories only brought back the feelings of wistfulness that he'd carefully kept locked in the depths of his heart over the years. Kuroko took in a deep breath, willing himself to stop thinking. Thoughts about separating from them had never been good for his emotional stability, and he couldn't afford to be depressed. Not now, not then. He'd moved on, along with everybody else.  _They_  had their lives, he had his. The past is the past, and his time to keeping going forward has long come.

Kuroko got on his legs, and stretched. It probably hadn't been exactly ten minutes yet, but he figured it was close. He retrieved his bicycle and wheeled it until the ground below him turned from soil to concrete. He then mounted the thing, and with a push of his leg, he pedaled off.

It was time for him to go home.

**xXx**

Ogiwara reached into his bag, his eyebrows raised.

He'd heard his phone vibrating halfway through the first period of lessons. He wondered who it could be; he rarely got messages in general, let alone when everyone knew he was in school. Maybe it was an emergency? He hoped nothing bad happened. He wasn't sure if he could stop himself from freaking out and hyperventilating if he was to receive any bad news. He had never been the type to handle panic attacks well, especially if the particular incident involved someone he knew and cared about.

A large envelope icon flashed on his screen when Ogiwara unlocked his screen. He blinked blankly at the sender's name. Why the heck was  _Tetsuya_  messaging him all of the sudden? Wasn't he just practically next door?

Dread suddenly weighed down on his shoulders. Ogiwara had always left for school before Kuroko because of the latter's job. Oh, god. Did something happen back at the orphanage? An accident? A robbery? He prayed hard for everything to be okay. He willed his fingers to click on the buttons to activate the 'view message' command. The loading process seemed to take forever, but part of Ogiwara's mind that wasn't already going crazy with irrational panic was pretty sure it was just him. His phone was never laggy to begin with.

The display on the screen finally changed; from his home-screen wallpaper featuring a basketball to one that resembled a page of a notebook. Ogiwara read the short message once. Twice. And then he let out the biggest sigh of relief he'd ever let out in his entire insignificant adolescent life.

" _Was late. Couldn't make it to school in time."_

Ogiwara figured he was probably laughing in some kind of mad spasmodic way, but he didn't care. He didn't care as long as everything was okay. With another exhale through his mouth, he raked his fingers through his short, messy hair, and set his phone down on his table. Everything was okay. That was good. He felt his rapid heartbeat slowly calming down. Everyone was okay.

"Shige?"

Ogiwara blinked out of his reverie, his attention snapping towards the direction of the voice. His classmate stared back at him from the seat in front, his eyebrows knitted in worry.

"You okay, man? You looked like someone who'd just let a rip and is laughing at the expense of the people having to suffer from it."

Ogiwara was quick to recover. At his friend's comment, he let out a chuckle, and shook his head.

"Nahh, I'm fine. Just false alarm." He shrugged, feeling his habitual smile settling comfortably on his features once more.

The other boy stared at him skeptically for a moment, but otherwise left the subject alone.

"Anyway, since you probably weren't listening to me for the last two minutes or so, I guess I'll just repeat myself." He let out a sigh as if talking to the guy was draining all his effort. It probably was. "You free later?"

"Hmm? As in during break?" Ogiwara asked, moving to tuck his phone back into his bag. Wouldn't want the teachers to confiscate it anytime soon. He peered at his friend past lowered lashes as the latter made his reply.

"Yep. I've got some errands to run for the art club and I need some help." The other boy clapped his hands together and bowed his head; a typical gesture of desperate begging. " _Pleaseee_  say you can help."

"Ehhh," Ogiwara considered, leaning back against his chair once he'd finished untangling himself from his schoolbag. Kuroko was -by some cruel twist of fate, he had to admit- absent that day, which meant he'll be spending recess alone. Ogiwara didn't mind being left to himself, but he supposed he  _should_  be a good friend and help his classmate out. As much as he worked to deny the fact, he  _did_  have to try socializing more with people who are not one of his brethren from the orphanage. "I guess I could lend a hand."

The look on his friend's face after his agreement did not make him regret his decision.

"Thanks so much!" The other boy's eyes were positively sparkling with gratitude. "I swear, Shige, I'd kiss you if you weren't a guy!"

"Whoa there," Ogiwara held up both his hands in mock self defense. "I know I've got killer charms and all, but lay off the kissing please."

His friend punched him playfully in the arm and turned back, just in time before the teacher entered the classroom. Ogiwara rubbed his sore limb before standing up with the rest of his class, a crooked smile plastered on his face.

It seems that he won't be alone later after all.

**xXx**

Kagami absentmindedly rolled his pencil back and forth across the blank pages of his notebook with the tip of his fingers, his chin rested on his free hand.

He was  _so_  bored. Having spent more than half his life overseas in the States, Kagami's knowledge in the Japanese language was nothing but limited, and the lessons they provide at school was not making anything better. He could hardly understand what the teacher was talking about, let alone trying to chuck the kanji characters scribbled on the blackboard into his mind. This was not going anywhere and he knew it.

Kagami heaved a sigh, turning his attention out the window. The teacher's booming voice from up front somehow gradually faded to a distant hum, as if the redhead was listening from another room. He had long given up and was long given up on, and he was free to do anything as long as it didn't involve him disturbing the class or walking straight out. Kagami let his gaze travel towards the landscape of the town in the distance, and he heaved a sigh.

He  _really_  wanted to play basketball now.

Many things may bore him to death, but basketball was definitely an exception. Kagami fell for the sport at a very young age, and he still loved it with all his heart. He loved the feeling of adrenaline rushing through his veins, the thrill of challenging others in a battle with an outcome that has yet to be determined. He could never get enough of the excitement he felt when sprinting back and forth the court, or the little flutter in his heart when he soared high up into the air whenever he jumped or made a dunk. Those were the little things he treasured, and he refused to let all those be taken away, especially not by his father.

He couldn't wait for school to end so that he could head straight towards the club room, get changed, race himself to the gym, and train until he dropped. Wait. Scratch that. He  _hated_  training. But he was willing to go through that torture for the sake of getting to play. That was just how dedicated he was to the sport. Everything else didn't matter as long as he got to play his basketball.

Kagami turned to get a glimpse of the clock hung above the blackboard at the very front of the room. Thirty minutes more. Another thirty minutes and he could get the hell out of there and return to his sanctuary. Kagami tapped his fingers on the surface of his book impatiently, willing time to pass faster. Will the stupid bell just ring already?

"There will be a mock test next week."

Kagami's attention was abruptly forced to return to the man speaking at the word "test".  _Oh, shit_. They were having an exam? Kagami swore inwardly. He could write a  _novel_  on the reasons why he absolutely  _loathed_  exams. Probably with even a sequel. The main reason he hated written tests of any sort was because his marks affected his freedom to play. If he were to fail anything, not only will his team captain ban him from playing until he retakes the test, but his father would probably lock him up in their study with no one to keep him company other than a freakishly boring tutor for a month or so until he showed signs of improving.

Which, needless to say, meant more life-wasting, less basketballing.

And Kagami wasn't even a genius to begin with. As if things weren't depressing enough as it is already.

"It'll help prepare you for your finals, so do your best. I expect all of you to pass your Japanese, returnee or not."

Kagami returned the teachers glare, feeling unimpressed as ever. Who was he trying to kid? The guy was asking for the impossible. Kagami could already see the big fat zero on the top right corner of his answer sheet. Unless a miracle happened, he was not passing anything involving the usage of Japanese characters. Or even English words, for that matter. He was great at failing academically that way.

Kagami listened halfheartedly as his teacher prattled on hints about the upcoming exam for the rest of the lesson. He might as well try a little, since whether or not he'd get to continue playing depended on it. He grunted softly at the thought. He couldn't believe he was actually planning to put some effort into studying for the test. Oh, the things he did for basketball.

The last bell never sounded so blessed to his ears until then. Kagami spent less than a minute to shove his things back into his schoolbag before heading straight out. Finally! He exhaled his pent-up impatience in a breath. He swore time was doing this to him on purpose. Thirty minutes had never felt  _that_  long. He made his way through the hallways and down the stairs, maneuvering his way past packs and packs of students clad in white and blue in quick, long strides. The sea of humans never failed to make him feel claustrophobic even after this long.

The club room for the first string was packed with people when Kagami reached there. He decided that some things are worth waiting for. He was  _not_  going to go in there and risk inhaling some unpleasant fumes that would probably stain his sense of smell permanently. Kagami hung back in the hallway, leaning against the wall and turning his head slightly to look through the large window behind him. He crossed his arms, struggling to refrain from breaking into another sigh.  _Sighing will make you age faster_ , he reminded himself in an attempt to avoid the gesture.

Teikou Middle School was a school for the majestic and elite and if its basketball club wasn't that Kagami had no idea how one would describe it. Teikou's basketball club was famous for their ruthless training regimen and extraordinarily talented members. Being a big club, the members were divided into three strings; the first for the best, the second for the moderate, and the third for those who still needed to try harder. Kagami was initially assigned to the second string, managing to make it into the first at the end of his first year, and he took pride in that achievement. All those years of playing with other basketball junkies back when he was still in the States paid off after all.

Kagami had to admit one thing, though. The school had this motto ( _Ever Victorious_ , or something stupid like that) that drove him crazy because it did a good job in giving him unneeded pressure. Even though victory was certainly something to enjoy and aiming for the top was something pretty normal in human nature, Kagami found it..  _wrong_. Weren't sports and competitions supposed to be fun? Shouldn't they be taking part in all these for the thrill and memories and experience? To improve your skills and talent? What's the point if the only reason you train your soul out to achieve a victory that doesn't bring happiness?

"Yo, Kagami!"

Kagami blinked out of his reverie, turning to find himself face to face with one of his seniors. The latter raised a hand in greeting, a friendly grin on his face.

"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you go get changed or something?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious. It was almost time for them to gather and no one in first string who were in their right minds would even think of being late. The normal training regimen was bad enough. The punishment for tardiness was five times of that and could very well be lethal.

"I'm just waiting for the room to clear out a little first," Kagami said, shrugging. "It won't take me long to change anyway."

"Well, you're not the kind to socialize much," his senior agreed thoughtfully before patting him amiably on the shoulder. "Just try not to be late okay?"

"Yeah." Kagami watched as the third-year disappear behind a corner before once more letting his gaze settle on the entrance of the clubroom. The number of people there had decreased considerably, and he decided that it was safe for him to go in. He figured he shouldn't risk waiting any longer. He might love basketball a lot, but the five-times training might just be able change his mind.

Kagami shoved his schoolbag into his locker, his free hand undoing the buttons of his white cardigan. He swiftly removed his uniform and donned his favored black t-shirt and shorts, involuntarily shivering a little when his bare skin came into contact with the chill around him. It wasn't too cold, but it was still winter and there was still a difference in his body's surrounding temperature. Kagami swallowed in an attempt to flatten the goosebumps that had risen on his skin, slamming the door of his locker shut. He then bent down to pick up his sports bag, and headed out to the gym.

Though he wasn't late, he was the last one to arrive. Kagami hurriedly dumped his bag aside as soon as he got in and moved to join the group already gathered there. The club manager was standing up front, holding a clipboard in her hands and taking attendance. She glanced up for a split second to see the tall redhead making his way over, and focused back on her clipboard again, muttering Kagami's name under her breath as she searched for it in the list.

Meanwhile, the team captain stood next to the girl, his arms crossed, his face emotionless except for the near permanent pout on his lips. Nijimura Shuuzo was a third-year and was the current captain of Teikou's basketball team. He was known as one of the most skilled power forwards in the league, and he certainly lived up to that status. He was a person who was dead serious about the game and was the kind who refused to tolerate with anyone who decided to play hooky. Kagami had seen him beating the living shit out of those who skipped practice for no apparent reason, and had from then on quietly developed a healthy fear of his captain's silent temper. You may call him a wimp for all he cared, but  _you_  weren't the one who saw the smile on the older guy's face when he returned to the gym with a couple of very beat up guys in toll.

Nijimura swept his gaze round once, and the look in his eyes calculating. He might look poised and composed, but honestly, just looking at the other guys was wearing him out.

"Listen up," he raised his voice to be heard over the buzz of mutters. The whispering stopped, and all eyes turned to him. Nijimura was never really uncomfortable to be the centre of attention of his teammates, but since what he was about to say was regarding  _that_  one topic, he couldn't help but let his gaze flicker nervously to the side.

"As you guys probably heard from the teachers," he continued. "There'll be a mock exam next week."

He was replied with a chorus of pained groans. He couldn't blame them. He wasn't much of a fan of exams himself. He waited for the noise to die down before he resumed speaking again.

"And I'm pretty sure you know what will happen to us if too many of our members fail." Another chorus of groans. "I know we have a game in three weeks, but studies come first. It'll be important to all of you, not just the third-years." Nijimura paused for a sigh. He hated dealing with this. "Which, is why we've come to a decision to fully convert our training schedule for the next four days to study sessions to help prepare you for the upcoming test. I don't want anyone in the first string failing.  _You_  should know what happens if we don't somehow get satisfying results."

Kagami swallowed down his guilt because frankly, he wasn't even confident in passing one subject, let alone pass everything with  _satisfying results_. He knew. He knew full well that they'll be banned from playing in the tournament by the school if they flunked in their academics. He knew the coming game was the last for the seniors. And he wasn't liking it. He wasn't liking the fact that  _he_  might just be the one to take that away from them.

He wondered if it was too late for him to develop some kind of death disease that required him to stay in a hospital for the rest of his miserable life.

"We'll separate into groups and focus mainly on the subject which we're the weakest in," Nijimura went on. "We don't have much time, so you'll have to work on the rest by yourself. Those who are weak in Mathematics will be under.."

He began reading the names of the third-years from the list he produced from his pocket, followed by the subject which they will be in charge of. Kagami could feel himself starting to sweat profusely. He was pretty sure he needed help in  _everything_ , not just Japanese language proficiency.

"..and I'll be in charge of Biology," the raven third-year summed up after approximately five minutes, sloppily folding the piece of paper before slipping it back into the pocket of his shorts. "I expect all of you to be aware of your own weaknesses and strengths. Those who deem their own scores good enough are free to help the tutors out. Now get to your groups!"

At the captain's order, the assembled members scattered, each forming their own study groups with the assigned third-year tutors. Kagami hung back uncertainly, unsure on which group he should join. He watched as every one of his teammates fell in with other's who fell in the same category as themselves, feeling a little left out. Sometimes, he realized, being an idiot sucked.

"Kagami."

Kagami flinched involuntarily, gulping at the tone of Nijimura's voice. He turned towards the senior, expecting the worst. Was he going to be beaten up? Kicked in the ass because of his bad grades? Demoted to the third string? Everyone in the club knew he was hopeless in studying.

Nijimura stared at him for several seconds, his expression unreadable. Kagami had a feeling he was trying to figure out how to break it to him in a slightly gentler way. He fisted his hands, bracing himself for the worst when the older boy turned away and shook his head slowly, softly exhaling a tired breath.

"Go join the Japanese language group for now," the older boy told him at last. "Meet me at the gates when this is over. There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

At least he was kind enough to delay the news and refrain from embarrassing him in front of the entire club. Not that that made Kagami feel any better. He nodded once in understanding, and made his way to the suggested group, trying hard to keep his face neutral while he swallowed down the feeling of dejection.

Two more hours till the study session ends.

**xXx**

"Um, senpai?"

"What?"

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Just shut up and you'll see."

Kagami kept quiet after that, wary of being hit if he asked any more. He kept his gaze out the window, watching as the scenery before him changed in a steady flow. The bus they were on was entirely silent except for the rattling of wheels and an occasional cough from the old man at the very back.

Kagami had no idea what was going on. Nijimura hadn't said anything he'd initially thought he would say when he met him at the gates after locking the gym up. All he did was ask Kagami if he had enough for a bus before dragging him to the nearest bus station to board one. When Kagami asked the first time, Nijimura had only been inclined to tell him that walking to their destination would take too long, and that he didn't have all day to waste. That was all the redhead understood. They were going somewhere that was far enough to force them to use a bus, but not far enough for a train.

They got down at a stop in a neighborhood Kagami was not familiar with. It was quiet - almost eerily so compared to the noise in the town area. Further down the road was a small park, followed by several rows of shops and offices. As far as he could see, there was no one else around. It was almost as if the whole place was deserted. Kagami half expected zombies to start popping out and chasing them down for their brains, but before he could let his imagination run wild, he noticed that Nijimura had already started walking, and hurried to follow.

After ten minutes of seemingly aimless wandering, they arrived at a residential area. Kagami stared curiously at the oddness of the place. There were many sloped roads, giving the illusion of the houses being stacked higher and higher. Maybe they were. Kagami didn't have the time to ponder over the thought. Following Nijimura's lead, he had to hike two slopes before reaching the correct street.

Houses lined either side of the road. Kagami noticed that the buildings there was slightly bigger than the normal compact ones. He followed Nijimura forward, counting the houses they passed for a reason unknown even to himself. When he glanced back ahead, a house that somehow seemed out of place caught his attention. It was at the very end of the lot, and Kagami got the feeling that that was where they were headed, since the older boy showed no apparent signs of slowing down his pace. It was already dark - the sun sets really early during winter - but he could still make out the fading yellow paint on the walls of the building. Maybe that was why he thought it stuck out. There weren't much people around these days who would paint their homes that color.

Kagami's guess was right when he found himself coming to a stop in front of the gates of the yellow house. He could hear sounds of children laughter mingled with voices in conversations from all the way outside. He watched in mild astonishment as Nijimura pushed the unlocked gate open and strolled right in like he owned the place. Snapping out of his split-second stupor, Kagami moved to catch up. They crossed the lawn and headed straight towards the front entrance, Kagami feeling like they'd just broke into someone's house or something. He might not mind sneaking in and out of his own home, but infiltrating other people's residence was out of question.

Nijimura had no such reluctance even as he reached to ring the doorbell. He pressed the button several times just to make sure the pleasant ' _ding dong'_  was heard inside because  _damn_  those kids were noisy that evening! He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants as he waited for the door to be answered, glancing behind to make sure Kagami was still with him for the first time in the whole journey. The fact that it didn't occur to him until now that the redhead might lose him halfway through amazed himself.

A minute passed and he could finally hear hasty footsteps and a muffled voice shouting "Coming, coming!" from the inside. The door opened a crack, and a wave of light streamed into the darkness outside. Nijimura looked away to avoid being blinded while his eyes adjusted themselves to the change in illumination.

"Shuu-nii?"

He turned back to the speaker, his expression immediately softening at the sight of the familiar face.

"'Sup Shige."

The younger boy took exactly ten seconds to recover from being stunned by the sudden appearance of the raven before moving to open the door completely. "I guess you should come inside first before I ask all the questions?"

"Thanks," Nijimura sniffed. "I'll punch you if you make me talk out there in the cold."

"I know," Ogiwara said with a laugh, stepping aside to let him through. He then noticed the redhead standing awkwardly behind the older boy. "You brought someone with you?"

"Yep." Nijimura affirmed, stepping into the entryway. "He's a junior of mine from the basketball club. I'm bringing him to meet Tetsuya about something."

_Tetsuya_? Kagami broke out of his daydream as soon as he heard the name. Why did it sound so familiar?

"Okay." Ogiwara nodded toward Kagami in silent greeting when their eyes met. He shut the door once the two had entered, shivering at the abrupt change in temperature. It was beginning to get cold again once the sun had set.

"Hey, guys! Shuu-nii's here!" Ogiwara yelled over to everyone in the living room from where he stood, successfully directing every stare their way. Kagami blinked at the sight before him. The place was packed with kids ranging from ages three to around seventeen; most hanging around on the floor, some perched on couches, some hogging the kotatsu. Kagami almost thought they were a just one very,  _very_  huge family, until he registered the fact that they did not exactly resemble one another. There was nothing in their features that gave off the impression of them being related. They were different children from different families, all gathered in one house. And there were no adults around; or at least none he could see. Kagami put the pieces together and let his realization sink in.

He was in an orphanage.

A number of kids perked up at the mention of Nijimura's name, shouting hellos and greetings his way. Several headed over and gathered around him, and to Kagami's surprise, he actually bent down and lifted a young boy up in his arms, a soft smile on his face. A few older ones took turns slapping him on the back, telling him how great was it to see him again after so long and what not. Everything was getting weirder and weirder by the second and Kagami couldn't help but wonder about his senior's relationship with the people there. Who were they to him to cause such a drastic change in his personality?

" _It's been so long!"_

" _We didn't you visit earlier, you bastard?"_

" _We missed you!"_

"Guys, guys!" Ogiwara interjected after a while of standing silently in a corner, clapping his hands loudly to get attention. It took almost a full minute before he was successful. "I'm sorry for ruining the mood and all, but we'll get to all that later. At the mean time, Shuu-nii has some business to attend to so kindly leave him alone. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to sit down and have a nice, long chat once he gets his stuff done."

At that, Nijimura shot him a pointed look which he casually ignored.

"I guess I  _could_  spare some time," the older raven muttered almost grudgingly, glancing at his wristwatch.

"There you have it." Ogiwara grinned, spreading his arms. "Now move it, people, and let him and his friend through."

Friend? At the mention of the existence of an extra guest in their home, the attention of twenty or so teenagers and children were abruptly shifted to Kagami - who, was trying hard to blend into the wall at the moment. Upon realizing that everyone staring at him, he looked up, and all he could manage as a greeting was a barely stutter-restrained "Hi."

He was replied with a chorus of hellos.

"Where's Tetsuya, anyway?" Nijimura inquired once the voices have toned down, his eyes darting around the room to find the said boy.

"Tetsu nii-chan's helping Matron in the kitchen," a girl answered, pointing. "Would you like me to call him?"

"Nahh, it's fine," Nijimura waved his hand dismissively, proceeding towards the back of the house. "I want to say hello to Matron, anyway." He peered over his shoulder at the redhead. "Come on, Kagami."

"Uhh, yeah." The crowd gathered at the mouth of the entryway parted to make way. "Excuse me for the intrusion."

Kagami waited outside while Nijimura disappeared into the kitchen to greet the matron of the orphanage and fetch the guy he was looking for. He tried to pretend not to notice the occasional glances of curiosity that was directed his way, staring at his own feet to distract himself. He couldn't exactly explain it, but he was suddenly having a very bad feeling about everything.

"Kagami."

He lifted his head when his name was called, watching as his senior reentered the living room. It took him a while to realize that there was someone tailing behind the older boy. Kagami was still blur at first, but he first recognized the mop light blue hair, then the short and frail stature, and then finally, those huge, blank blue eyes.

He practically jumped back when the memory came back to him. "Wait, aren't you-"

Kuroko only blinked at him once. Twice. "Kagami-kun?"

" _What_ , you guys know each other?" Nijimura sounded slightly surprised by the fact that they seemed to have already met.

Kagami shrugged. "Sort of, I guess?"

"Good." Nijimura put a hand on the pale boy's shoulder. "But in case you've forgotten anyway, this is Kuroko Tetsuya. He'll be the one tutoring you for the next four days."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is the last of it =u=
> 
> ahhhhhhhhhhh
> 
> on the side note, I'm almost done with the next chappie right now ouo. imsosorryimareallyslowwriterdistractionsimtellingyouugh

Things escalated quickly after that; with Kagami spluttering in surprise and Nijimura's deadpanned assurance that he wasn't joking and Kuroko's all-too polite repeated self introductions.

Kagami was in the middle of trying to let the sudden information sink in and make itself feel real when a lady popped her head out from the entrance of the kitchen, friendly smile on her face. Kagami never knew how it felt like to have a person whom he could call his mother, since his parents divorced as soon as he was born. But seeing the lady, he figured that was how all mothers should look like; warm, gentle, loving. Kagami was convinced that she was the matron without having to ask.

"Ah, you must be Shuuzo-kun's friend," the lady said, moving to greet him properly. "The kids call me Matron here, but you can just call me Hisako."

Kagami bowed slightly in response, remembering his manners. He had this strange tendency to be extra polite with aged women. "I'm Kagami Taiga. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Formalities aside," Matron clasped his hands in hers, moving faster than Kagami thought she could. Her gaze shifted back and forth from Kagami to Nijimura, her eyes twinkling. "Would you boys be as kind to join us for dinner?" Noticing the two boys' looks of reluctance, she added quickly in assurance, "Everything will be done in around ten minutes, so don't worry. You'll both still manage to catch the last bus or train home."

Kagami wasn't even sure  _how_  he was supposed to go home, but he decided not to mention that at the moment. He figured he could always ask later.

"I don't think-" Nijimura was just starting to decline offer when a chorus of protests sounded in the background. He resisted the urge to click his tongue. Those brats actually had the nerve to eavesdrop! Though, he had to admit, they weren't exactly making their conversation private either. He chewed his lip as he considered his choices. Knowing the guys in the orphanage, things are sure to drag on forever and it'll probably be very late by the time they're willing to let him go. But then again, it  _has_  been a while since he met up with everyone, and he  _was_  a little curious to know how everyone was doing. He didn't have any homework that day and he'd studied earlier with the rest of the team, so he supposed he'd be okay.

"I guess we can stay," Nijimura muttered, glancing at his redheaded junior. Kagami looked surprisingly calm for someone who was practically stranded in a place he'd never been to. For once, Nijimura felt himself worrying for him. Wouldn't want him to be in the papers the next day for being missing in action.

"Or at least  _I_  can," he corrected himself, clearing his throat. "What about you, Kagami?"

"I should be fine..?" Kagami scratched his cheek. Before he could say anything else, his stomach let out a very loud, very undignified growl, and he felt heat rising to his face. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't ate since break in school, and that was  _hours_  ago. He doubted he could make it back home without having his stomach eat itself in hunger. He  _needed_  food.

"That settles it then." Matron clapped her hands together in satisfaction. "Now why don't you boys settle down somewhere first? I'll ask one of the kids to call everyone when the food's ready."

"I'm leaving you guys to discuss about the tutoring stuff," Nijimura announced once Matron had disappeared back into the kitchen area. When all he received from the two younger boys were blank stares, he added in a mutter, his mouth set into a slightly sadistic twist Kagami had seen somewhere before; "I've got a  _conversation_  to share with Shige and the other guys."

He then proceeded to head toward where the mentioned boy was, leaving the pair on their own. Kagami shifted his weight from foot to foot as silence started to form between him and the shorter boy by his side. So what was he supposed to do now? He felt someone tugging the sleeve of his shirt and looked down, only to see a pair of large blue eyes staring up at him.

"Let's find a quiet corner first," Kuroko suggested, his voice a monotone. Kagami shrugged and let himself be led to a less crowded spot in the living room. He could still feel those curious glances trained at him as they both sat down, and he had half a mind to glare back. He decided not to at the last minute, instead turning to face the smaller boy that had seated himself cross-legged on the spot opposite him.

Kuroko was just as thin and frail-looking as Kagami remembered him to be (not that he'd  _always_  been thinking about him, mind you). The clothes he was wearing looked ridiculously loose on him, but since the guy himself didn't seem to pay that any heed, Kagami made no comments. He had better things to do than to make pointless remarks about every little thing that did not concern him.

"How would you like our schedule to be like, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko spoke up once they'd made themselves comfortable enough. He had his hands tucked between the folds of his legs, probably because the temperature was really beginning to drop and the heater had yet to be turned on. Kagami was silently glad he'd neglected to remove his cardigan like a normal person would when he entered the house.

"I'll be free as soon as school's over since there's no practice," Kagami said, feeling his shoulders slouch forward at the reminder that he wouldn't be playing much basketball for the next fortnight or so. "And my dad doesn't care what time I return as long as I'm already home by the next morning, so I guess I can stay a little while longer?"

Kuroko nodded, staring at a spot on the floor in thought. "I have chores to do as soon as I come home so we'll have to start a little later - around four or so. And you can stay until dinnertime, if you want."

"I'm not sure that'll be a good idea," Kagami muttered, his gaze flickering towards the kitchen entrance. "I wouldn't want to bother Matron. She looks like she's got enough on her hands as it is already." He looked back at the pale boy before him. "And come to think of it, I don't suppose you only work on weekends?"

Kuroko shook his head, moving to rub his bare arms in an attempt to warm himself up a little. "I go before school every morning."

"Then wouldn't you need some rest or something?" Kagami sounded almost incredulous. There was no way Kuroko could endure all that accumulated exhaustion. Even now as he sat across him, Kagami could see from the other boy's posture that he needed his rest. He knew he wasn't exactly in the place to say anything, but the guy shouldn't be pushing himself like that! There'll be no point if he broke halfway through.

"I'll manage," Kuroko dismissed the question with a slight wave of his hand, sounding like he'd been repeating those two words for many,  _many_  times now. Kagami looked at him doubtfully, otherwise left the topic alone. He was about to conclude their discussion when he heard a yelp, followed by a loud, boisterous laugh. He turned towards the source, realizing that the noise had come from the person Kagami had come to identify as Shige. Nijimura had him in a headlock, his knuckle twisting into the younger boy's temples. It looked painful as anything, but the latter wasn't showing any signs of hurt, so Kagami guessed his senior must be holding back.

"So was he from here too? Nijimura-senpai, I mean," Kagami failed to refrain from asking.

"He used to come here all the time to play before he moved," Kuroko said, not taking his eyes away from the scene. There was a strange look on his face; a look Kagami could not figure out. "But he wasn't orphaned like us. His father is one of Matron's close friends from her younger days."

"You're all pretty close to him," Kagami observed.

"He's like family," Kuroko agreed, a certain tinge of fondness in his tone. The corners of his mouth were twitched upwards in a small amused smile as he continued watching the scene of Ogiwara messing around with the older raven-haired boy.

"Ehh." Kagami placed his elbow on the side of his knee and rested his cheek on his palm. "I wonder how it feels like, to have an actual family," he mused, unintentionally saying the words loud enough for his companion to hear. Kuroko turned his attention back to him, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Doesn't Kagami-kun live with yours?" he sounded slightly surprised at the revelation.

"Unlike your typical father, my dad isn't the exactly the type to spend much bonding time with me or do anything of that sort. And I've never even seen my mum before." Kagami's tone sounded bitter to his own ears, and he hoped with all his might that it wasn't too obvious to the other boy. "So yeah."

"It must've been lonely for you," Kuroko sympathized. Kagami shrugged, praying that he was able to portray his indifference well. Because it was the truth. He had been lonely. He used to hate going home when he was younger because it was so much more  _colder_  in there compared to the outside world. There had never been anyone to wish him a loving "welcome home" when he got back. There had never been anyone whom he could share his stories, doubts or happiness with. There had never been anyone whom he could sit down and have a nice, hot meal with. There had never been anyone whom he could come to love as part of his family.

He'd outgrown that childish yearning of his for years now, but the feelings still lingered in his heart. If given the choice, Kagami was still willing to give away his fortune just to feel the warmth of having others by his side. He was willing to give up anything just to be accepted and held dear for who he was and not just because he was the son of some important guy.

"Dinner's ready, everyone!"

Kagami felt a tiny smile tugging his lips as he watched a group of younger children cheer and rush enthusiastically into the back of the house at the sound of the announcement, a few older ones yelling after them to be careful not to trip. He wasn't particularly fond of kids, but looking at the lively lot, he couldn't help feeling that familiar sting in his heart; something he'd always felt whenever he used to see other kids hanging out with their parents or siblings in the streets. He was happy for them - he really was. He was glad that they needn't experience the same coldness as he had when he was younger, despite all that'd happened to them. He was glad that although they'd lost their parents, they still had each other's company. They still had someone for them.

Kagami would be lying if he was to say that he wasn't a little jealous. It was stupid, yes, but there were some things that even he couldn't control. Some feelings are just too difficult to forget, no matter how hard he tried.

"Kagami-kun."

Kagami blinked out of his reverie, realizing with a slight start that Kuroko was already on his feet. The latter stared down at him with an expression close to worry, his hand outstretched to him.

"We should go too," Kuroko said once he was sure he'd gotten the redhead's attention. "Before all the good seats are taken."

Kagami could only numbly take his hand before heaving himself up, stretching his legs. Now that he thought of it, it  _was_  his first time dining with a group of potentially noisy and overly sociable people, and he had to admit: he wasn't very sure what he was supposed to do. Was it the same thing as eating with his classmates in class during recess? What was he supposed to say? Ask about the weather, perhaps? Talk about futile things? And was he supposed to laugh at jokes that weren't funny to him? How much should he eat so that the others will have enough? Was he supposed to take the last piece if it came to that?

The dining area was connected to the kitchen, and it was spacious enough to fit two long wooden tables and approximately thirty people. Apparently, the place wasn't as cramped up as Kagami initially thought it was when he first saw the size of the house from the outside. As soon as the two boys entered, they were greeted by the mouthwatering smell of freshly cooked food, and it was all Kagami could do to keep himself from drooling grossly. Half a dozen filled platters were served on each table, the dishes ranging from prawn tempuras to beef patties - all enough to satisfy the hunger of a large group of growing children.

Kuroko paused in his tracks for a moment to look for a pair of untaken chairs when Ogiwara stood up from his spot and waved them over, gesturing that he'd saved them both a couple of seats at the very end of their side of the table. Kagami had just barely sat down himself when the cheerful raven leaned over, and said;

"By the way, I'm Ogiwara Shigehiro." He grinned at Kagami's blank response. "Though just Shige's fine."

"Shigehiro-kun," Kuroko chided lightly, gently pushing the said boy back to his seat. "At least let Kagami-kun  _eat_  first before you start your questions."

"Ehhh, but didn't you say once before that it wasn't polite to-"

The rest of his sentence was drowned out by the sound of thirty people yelling a hearty "Let's eat!" at the top of their voices. Ogiwara flinched at the loud noise before shrinking back to his place, the remorse in his face disappearing as soon as he picked up his pair of chopsticks and dug in.

The first thing Kagami discovered about eating with a large group of people was that it didn't matter if you were a guest or not, you'd need to be swift and ruthless if you're aiming for any particular piece of food. Kagami learnt that the hard way after losing a total of three patties, a drumstick, two tempuras and several pieces of potatoes to the hands of his tablemates. The second thing he learnt was that if you shout out your reservations loud enough, that piece was unofficially yours - though it was still free to be taken by others if you're not quick enough.

And finally, the third thing he learnt was that dining with a group consisting of mainly children and teenagers was  _nothing_  without the chaos. The first ten minutes had been utterly deafening. Kids hollered at one another to not touch that piece of egg, or to pass them the soy sauce, or to shove off so they can stand up to reach that biggest mushroom. Cutlery clattered on rims of bowls and plates. Somehow, Kagami wasn't surprised by the fact that Matron did not even bother trying asking them to quiet down a second time. Nobody would've heard her, anyway.

"Here you go," Kuroko said as he placed a piece of egg roll into Kagami's lowered bowl after seeing his numerous failed attempts to obtain the food he wanted. Kagami muttered his thanks, feeling himself blush slightly in embarrassment.

Seeing the red tint on his cheeks, the brunette seated opposite him let out a chuckle and said, "Hey, don't worry about it. It's normal for us older ones to lose to the brats when it comes to snatching food."

"Riko-nee always manages to get what she wants," Ogiwara pointed out with his mouth full. "But that's only because she threatens to hit us if we defy her."

"That's because you boys are spineless wimps," Riko snorted, a somewhat superior ring in her voice. Ogiwara sighed into his bowl.

"She's  _so_  uncute."

"What did you say?"

"Children," Matron called over from the other table, sounding too amused for her own good. "Don't just take everything for yourselves, okay? Leave some for Kagami-kun too."

"It's a little too late for that!" A boy from Kagami's table pointed out, noting the nearly empty plates on the table.

"My, my," Matron huffed, shaking her head. "You doing alright over there, Kagami-kun? Are you eating enough?"

"Y-Yes!" Kagami answered. He decided not to admit that he usually needed at least ten burgers from Maji Burgers to satisfy his hunger, and that this amount could only last until he got back. The fact that they let him eat there was enough. "I'm fine."

"Don't be shy to ask for more, okay?"

Kagami was more than surprised later when a little girl walked over and placed a small plate of chicken cutlets before him, having to stand on her tiptoes to reach the top of the table. When the redhead shot her a questioning look, she only beamed and told him, "Onii-san's so tall and looks so strong, so you must eat a lot. There won't be enough for you to eat, especially when you're sharing a table with Shige nii-chan."

In the background, there was an indignant "Hey!" from the mentioned boy.

"Y-You didn't have to-" Kagami started to protest when he found his voice, but stopped himself at the last moment. He knew it wasn't nice to reject an act of kindness like that. If the little girl was willing to bring it over, then he should be willing to accept it. So he let a smile spread across his features before reaching out with his free hand, and gently ruffling the girl's soft hair. "On second thought, thanks."

His gesture brought a happy blush to the girl's cheeks, and Kagami swore she was practically glowing at that moment. He watched as she bounded back to her table, laughing in childish elation at her success in handing Kagami some extra food.

And it was at that moment when he felt it: the spark of warmth at the base of his chest, slowly spreading with every beat of his heart. Kagami wasn't sure what it was at first; it wasn't painful or anything. It was, if he was to describe it in a word,  _pleasant_. Comfortable. It gave him this strange sense of joy; this feeling of acceptance. What the girl did for him was unexpected, and it was his first time. It was Kagami's first time of being willingly given food that wasn't his share. It was his first time of being shown a glimpse of consideration by a stranger he didn't even know.

Kagami couldn't pinpoint the feeling even when it was time for him to leave. He eventually decided that he shouldn't think too much about it - he needed to conserve his brain capacity for more important things. Like the way home, for instance.

"Just take the XX bus and get down on the second stop," Kuroko was telling him, reciting completely from memory. Kagami noted the directions down on a piece of paper he'd somehow found in his bag, refusing to take any chances of getting lost. He might not like his own empty home, but he wasn't quite keen to freeze to death outside, either. "You'll see a zebra-crossing a little further down the road from the stop. Cross the road there and walk to the right until you see a park." Kuroko paused for a moment and looked up. "How do you feel about wandering alone through a thick growth of trees in the darkness at night?"

He figured he felt terrified, judging from how he paled at his words.

"No shortcuts, then," Kuroko dismissed with a short wave of his hand. He tried not to smile in amusement when Kagami heaved a breath of relief. "There should be a lighted path at the other end of the park. Go through there and keep walking until you reach a junction. You'll eventually see your home after turning left."

Kagami nodded, jotting down the last of the directions in an extra messy penmanship. He shoved his stationary into his pocket for easy access when he was done. He straightened up and cleared his throat. "So I'll be here by four?"

Kuroko nodded. "It's fine if you're early too. Just try not to be too late."

Kagami made sure to say his thanks to Matron for the meal before bidding the occupants of the orphanage farewell and moving to join Nijimura outside. They were both sent off with lots of waves from the orphans after lots of pestering for the older boy to visit more often and some friendly "see you tomorrow"-s to Kagami.

And when he was staring up at the ceiling while lying flat on his back on his bed long after he'd successfully found his way home, Kagami was surprised to find himself actually looking forward to his tutoring lessons to come.

**xXx**

Kuroko was hanging the laundry on the clothes line with Ogiwara when he heard the kids yelling from the house.

It didn't exactly startle the paler, shorter boy, but it  _did_  nearly scare the other out of his skin. Ogiwara flinched so hard at the noise, he almost upset the basket of washed clothes and sheets by his feet. He took a couple of quick deep breaths before regaining his composure, stepping a little further away from the cleaned laundry, and turning to glare at the direction of the noise.

"I swear to god," he grumbled after a while of staring futilely at the wall. "Those brats will seriously be the death of me one day."

"They  _are_  a little loud at times," Kuroko agreed, clipping the last of his share of laundry on the line. "I'm surprised Shigehiro-kun hasn't got used to it yet even after so long."

"That's not exactly the problem." Ogiwara let out a weary sigh. He yelped when he abruptly realized that his companion had already finished his part and was lifting the empty basket to return indoors. "You're done already?"

Kuroko nodded. "I'm going in to greet Kagami-kun now."

"How do you even know that's him just now, anyway?" Ogiwara asked as he turned back to his chore. There was a sulky tone in his voice, for some reason. Kuroko couldn't exactly figure out why.

"The kids only get that excited when we have guests," the shorter boy pointed out. "And Kagami-kun's the only person whom we're expecting today."

Ogiwara looked over his shoulder, his eyebrows raised. "Now that I think of it, isn't it more mainstream for the tutor to go to the student's home or something? Not that I'm complaining."

Kuroko pursed his lips for a moment, thinking of a way to explain the redhead's situation without revealing too much. Nijimura had personally asked him not to reveal Kagami's identity in case it'd cause a big fuss. Who knows how Matron and the rest of the kids in the orphanage would react if they knew? Kuroko wanted everything to be as normal as possible for Kagami. He knew from their first encounter that the latter was tired of his rich, isolated life. Kuroko never knew how it felt like to have enough of almost everything, but he did understand that being alone was a very painful and depressing thing. Maybe that's why Nijimura asked him of all people to be the redhead's tutor despite knowing that his grades were just barely good enough for a half-scholarship. The older boy must have wanted to do his junior a favor, in more than one way.

When Kuroko made his way inside again, he was greeted by a sight unusual enough to catch even  _him_  off guard. He paused abruptly in his tracks and stared blankly ahead, his brain trying to process what his eyes were seeing.

Kagami stood in the middle of the living room, practically weighed down by the younger children who were hanging off his arms like he was a walking monkey-bar. Kuroko honestly wasn't sure if he should be amazed, amused, or worried. Kagami could still hold his arms up even with three kids hanging on each. Kuroko was sure the children weren't  _that_  heavy, but he figured that supporting the weight of so many of them probably wouldn't be too good for the redhead's muscles and bones and all that.

Kagami's gaze flickered towards the pale boy standing at the entryway, and he shot him a pleading look; as pathetic as he had to admit that was. Finally someone to save him from this torture!  _This_  was why he wasn't a big fan of kids. He could never figure out where their guts to bully older people came from. Weren't brats supposed to be intimidated by taller, bigger people?

Apparently not this lot.

"Ah, it's Tetsu-nii!"

Kuroko braced himself as the group of children abandoned Kagami and ran towards him. Thankfully, they did not attempt to climb on him as they did with the redhead. They only gathered around him and stared up with those huge, innocent eyes of theirs, full of adoration.

"Nee, nee, you know what? Kagami's really strong!" A boy told him excitedly, bouncing on his feet. A few others muttered assent, all just as worked up about the matter as the first boy. It took a few minutes before Kuroko could calm them down enough to ask them to make way for him.

"It's not polite to call your elders without honorifics, Akira-kun," he chided lightly as he placed his empty laundry basket aside, meaning to keep it later together with Ogiwara's when the latter was done. He tried not to let out a weary sigh when the young boy showed no signs of remorse, instead choosing to look up and regard his guest with a pokerface.

"Hello, Kagami-kun," he said, as if he was acknowledging the redhead's presence in the room for the first time in the last ten minutes. Not that he could deny that, exactly.

"'Sup." Honestly, Kagami wasn't sure if he should be offended or not.

"Have a seat somewhere first," Kuroko told him, motioning to the children around him to leave them. "I'll go get the table."

With that said, the children gathered around him obediently scattered, and he hurried upstairs to fetch the necessary items. Still quite unsure on what he should do, Kagami trudged to a corner that looked warm and comfortable and settled down there. He leaned his back against the wall as he waited for his tutor, belatedly noticing that only the younger ones were hanging around in the living room. Other than Kuroko and Ogiwara outside (he swore he heard him scream a little while ago), the few older orphans were nowhere to be seen. Club activities? Kagami suspected so. If it wasn't for the stupid exams, he would've been training and playing basketball by that time too.

"Sorry for the wait."

Kagami bit back a yelp. It happened again. Kagami vaguely remembered experiencing the same thing the first time he met the pale boy. How was it even possible for one to have such a weak presence? He didn't even hear him returning downstairs, dammit! He was sure he was going to die from shock one day if it went on like that. Not an honorable death, if you ask him. He'd rather die heroically than to be accidentally killed by a guy who didn't even mean it.

"It's fine." Kagami silently congratulated himself on successfully keeping the stutter away from his voice as he shifted his position so that his side was now facing the wall. He had to preserve his manliness. If Kuroko noticed his efforts, he didn't comment. He silently unfolded the portable table he'd retrieved from one of the bedrooms and positioned it on the floor before taking a seat himself.

"Shuuzo nii-san told me that you're a returnee from the States?" he asked for confirmation as Kagami dug into his bag to pull out the books that Kuroko had asked him to bring via text message early that morning. At the redhead's nod, he continued; "In that case, we'll focus mainly on your Japanese first. We'll spend around two hours on that today and use the rest of our remaining time to brush up on your Mathematics." He reached for one of the books Kagami took out and absently leafed through the pages. "First things first, what is it that you mainly fail to understand other than the kanji characters?"

"Ehh." Kagami scratched the back of his head. "Everything, I guess?"

Kuroko's gaze flickered thoughtfully to the side, shutting the book in his hands with a snap. "Let's briefly go over the basics first, then," he decided, willing himself to refrain from sighing. He was secretly glad that all he had to do was help Kagami pass, as guilty as he was over the thought. He'd seen a copy of the latter's most recent examination results from Nijimura, and even with all the optimism he could muster, he knew there was nothing much he could do in such a short period of time.

But Kuroko was determined to help make a difference, even by a little. Three to four hours a day should be enough to raise Kagami's grades to the passing mark.

Unless Kagami was really that slow.

"Goodness, aren't you boys cold sitting on the floor without a blanket with the heater off?" Matron approached them and asked when Kuroko had just left Kagami sweating after ordering him to complete five pages of Japanese grammar exercises in fifteen minutes.

"We're fine like this," Kuroko replied, stifling a yawn. He wasn't going to mention that he was relying solely on the temperature to keep himself awake. He'd been up and around since five in the morning and tutoring someone was unexpectedly draining. If Matron were to pass him a blanket or turn the heater on, he was sure he was going to fall asleep right there and then - which, was something he couldn't afford to do.

"Nonsense!" The lady began dragging the portable heater over and plugging it into the nearest socket. "You'll both catch a cold if you go on like this. Now hold on while I get you boys something hot to drink."

_Matron you're not doing me any favors_ , Kuroko desperately wanted to tell her before she hurried off, but he kept his mouth shut. Almost nothing could stop his mother figure when she's in her doting mode. He could only hope he had enough willpower to pull through.

This was going to be a long day and he knew it.

**xXx**

Kuroko was a demon.

Kagami would've preferred not to have discovered that. He swore his basketball training was less exhausting compared to the amount of torture the shorter boy put him through. By the first hour mark, Kagami had went through enough worksheets, tips, formulas, and passively painful comments to give him the start of a mental and emotional trauma. He was pretty sure all those listed were bad for his health.

Kagami sighed into his mug as he took a sip of the hot chocolate that had long gone cold after being allowed a ten-minute break. One thing about Kuroko's style of tutoring: there will be no time for you to think about things other than what's been assigned to you. Kagami was still vaguely aware of his surroundings at the start; he saw the children quietly watching them from the kotatsu area out of the corner of his eye, trying hard to mind their own business. He heard the opening and closing of the front door when Ogiwara returned inside after completing whatever chores he'd been doing outside. But after a while, all Kagami had in his mind was Japanese grammar, kanji, and sentence construction. One hour shouldn't be enough to do so much damage to his brain, but Kuroko made it possible.

He found himself silently developing a healthy fear of another person yet again.

Kagami couldn't bear to look at the papers Kuroko was marking; he was expecting to get only about ten percent of it right, anyway. Instead, he let his gaze travel around, actually taking in the sight of the living room for the first time. Other than the obvious kotatsu and television and the sofas at the center, the place was pretty much bare. There was a shelf of books not far from where he was, right next to the entrance of the kitchen. There was a box of toys at the opposite corner. The flight of stairs leading upstairs was just a small distance to the right of the entryway. Kagami focused on the small display-cabinet beside the bookshelf. Various items ranging from pottery to handcrafts were arranged neatly on the glass plate that separated the cabinet into two compartments: one above, one below.

But what caught Kagami's attention weren't the miniature tea-sets nor the pieces of origami animals. It was the pictures. Kagami could tell at first glance that those were photos of the orphans. Who else would they be? Most faces were familiar to him, more or less. He recognized a much, much younger Ogiwara from one of them; a less tired-looking Matron and a grinning Nijimura in another. The photos were mostly candid shots, taken in random moments like when they were playing (or possibly beating each other up - it was difficult to tell), but there were quite a few formal ones too; pictures of graduation or award ceremonies and all that.

Kagami's eyes paused at one of the larger framed photos. It was a group photo; probably the only one that featured every single person of the orphanage as far as he could see. It was the only one which Kuroko was in. It was probably taken many years ago, judging from the appearance of the children there. The boy in question stood behind Matron at the very center, smiling softly at the camera while doing a double peace sign. A group of kids his age including Ogiwara were surrounding him, looking as if they were still arguing over who would get to stand next to the pale boy even when the camera timer went off.

Kagami blinked. Except for the raven, the other guys around Kuroko were unfamiliar to him. There were around five of them, all of them having unusual hair colors that made not recognizing them a difficulty. And seeing the affection that Kuroko's blue eyes showed in that photo, Kagami knew at once that they were some of the few people who held a special place in his heart. They were the people whom he loved with all he had.

"Most of them are not here anymore."

Kagami turned back to the source of the voice, raising his eyebrows at the smaller boy. "Huh?"

Kuroko nodded towards the picture Kagami had been staring at, his pen hovering an inch above the papers he was marking and evaluating. "The children in that photo. Most of them have either moved out on their own, or have been adopted."

"Who are they?" Kagami blurted out before he could stop himself. "The guys around you, I mean."

"People important to me," was all Kuroko answered after a short pause, his tone indicating that he will refuse to answer any further questions regarding the matter. His gaze was casted sideways, his grip on his pen tightening slightly. There was a tinge of tension in his voice, a flash of barely recognizable emotion in his eyes. Maybe something happened between them in the past? Kagami decided that it was probably best for him not to ask. He was only there for his tutoring lessons, nothing more. Other people's business were not of his concern. He was only a guest, a stranger. He had no rights to pry.

That was what he kept telling himself. Over and over and  _over_  again.

But even as he was dragged into the dining area to join the orphans for dinner once more a little while after the clock in the living room struck seven, he still couldn't stop wondering.

He couldn't stop wondering what could have happened to be able to bring that flash of pain to Kuroko's eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Winter mornings had always been cold, dark, silent. But that didn't mean he'd gotten used to it yet.

Kuroko frowned under his scarf as he cycled down the usual path to the office, the freezing wind smarting his eyes. It was ridiculous. The temperature couldn't have dropped so much in the past few days, but it did. It actually got several degrees colder in just three days and Kuroko wasn't liking it. If it went on, he might just die from the cold. No, he wasn't willing to die yet. He considered sparing some money to get himself one of those hot-water bottles his boss now frequently lent him.

Kuroko had never been any gladder to see the familiar building of the newspaper department in his life. Cycling usually warmed him up even by a little, but that didn't help one bit this time. Kuroko wouldn't even be surprised if he were to discover that his bloodstream had frozen solid after being outside for that mere twenty minutes. He pushed the muse out of his head. He had a job to do, and he needed to reach that embrace of warmth, fast. Before his blood really does solidifies.

As usual, the office was bustling with people, and for once, Kuroko didn't mind it. In fact, he was grateful for the presence of so many people. As much as he liked silence because it calmed his thoughts and it was something he didn't always get when he was at the orphanage, being in the company of people was a pleasant contrast to the still coldness outside. It reminded him that there's still life out there, despite the feeling of vast absence hanging in the air when he was in the streets. There's still people out there, struggling to work with the temperature just like him.

He was just walking toward the back of the office to report for work when something caught his eye. He paused in his steps, turning to get a better look at the article in topmost issue of the newspaper stack a little to his left. The headlines didn't bother him at first; it was the photo that caught his attention. His hair the color of spun gold, his playful smile, his long eyelashes - Kuroko would recognize him anywhere. He finally took a glance at the words printed there, and he felt a soft smile tugging at his lips when he registered everything. So that's how it was. He's a model now, huh?

"Oh? It's unusual for you to stop for a short read." Kuroko spun toward the source of the voice, albeit a little faster than he would've preferred. He hoped his employer wouldn't ask him any complicated questions.

"Good morning," he greeted, stepping aside as the big man came to stand beside him, studying the very same issue of newspaper he was probably  _staring_  at a few moments ago. He fought down the urge to shift his weight when the man turned back to him after several minutes of reading in silence, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Didn't know you're interested in stuff like this," he admitted, promptly receiving a blank stare from the adolescent next to him.

"I'm not," was all Kuroko had to say as a reply, his voice a practiced monotone. His employer shrugged.

"Sure you're not," he said in a tone that indicated he was not one to judge. "By the way, the hot-water bottle's hanging behind the door of my office if you need it."

At that moment, someone called for him, and he hurried off before Kuroko could say his thanks. Kuroko stared at the retreating figure of his employer, subconsciously wondering if he would ever find such a person as his boss again in the future when he starts working full time. He really hoped he would. Because he was sure he would have to bite his lip and bear with the torture of having a bad employer, given the circumstances. Honestly, he wasn't keen on making his adulthood a pain in the ass. He was tired enough as it is.

Kuroko retrieved the heater from his boss's office and strapped it onto himself, welcoming the warmth as soon as it came into contact with his body. On normal days, he would've forced himself to reject the offer, but nothing had been normal for the past few days; not the temperature, not his daily routine, not the way Ogiwara was starting to treat him. As much as he tried to ignore the fact, he couldn't deny noticing the tension that was beginning to form between them. Kuroko was sure he hadn't started treating anyone differently and Ogiwara too, made an effort to make things seem unchanged. But it was there. The signs were subtle; occasional narrow-eyed glances, hints in conversations. What was the cause of it? Kuroko couldn't figure out. What he did know was that everything started when Kagami first came over for his tutoring lessons. Was is Kagami? Was Ogiwara  _jealous_? It seemed likely. Why, though, Kuroko couldn't figure it out. What's there to be jealous of? Kuroko was just helping Nijimura out. It wasn't as if he was abandoning them for the redhead.

Or was he? Did he just not realize it?

The matter bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He wanted to know what exactly was wrong so he could fix it and revert everything back to how it was. Much to his chagrin, however, Ogiwara was sometimes annoyingly stubborn and would not say a word even when Kuroko forcefully swallowed his pride to pester him. So no, he couldn't ask. He'd have to figure out everything himself.

As if he hadn't have enough in his hands at the moment.

Kuroko didn't blame Kagami for this. It obviously wasn't the guy's fault. As much as Ogiwara indirectly antagonized him, Kuroko couldn't bring himself to blame the redhead. He'd done nothing wrong! He just happened to be very, very lonely and needed help in his studies. There wasn't anything wrong in aiding him and trying to be his friend. If Ogiwara was jealous then he had to get over it himself.

Kuroko shivered as he cycled on, feeling the cold seep into him like hundreds of malicious tendrils. The hot-water bottle barely made a difference now, but he was pretty sure it was the one thing keeping him alive at the moment. For the first time in a long, long while, Kuroko longed to snuggle under his blanket with the heaters on full-blast. He'd only tried it once when he was younger, and  _boy_  that felt heavenly. It had been the best discovery of his life besides vanilla shakes and what the  _heck_  is he doing? Kuroko shook his head harshly to clear his thoughts. He mustn't think of warmth and comfort now. Not now.

He went on with his job mechanically; stopping at the usual houses, avoiding the usual pets, greeting the usual old ladies that somehow seem to always be able to drag themselves out of bed at such unearthly hours. Kuroko had been doing this long enough to let his body move by itself while his mind wandered off, but he forced himself to focus. He wasn't in the mood to think right now. It was too early for him to get more flustered than he already is.

He soon slipped into a lane which led him to another housing area. The streets were dark and deserted as usual, and Kuroko had to admit: it was pretty eerie at times. The dim lights seem to waver in his presence, making it look as if the shadows were shifting, threatening to pull him into the darkness. Kuroko forced the idea out of his head and cycled on, determined not to be frightened by his own imagination. He was fourteen now;  _way_  too old to be scared of ghosts and the like. He was old enough to know that there were things worse than ghosts.

He exited the dark lane and veered into the main road. Even from a distance, Kuroko could make out the faint silhouette of Kagami's huge home against the dark background. At this point in time, Kuroko was honestly tempted to stop and take a short break to steady his labored, uneven breathing. Deep breaths were painful, for the cold, dry air stung his throat. But he willed himself to swallow the urge and keep on going. Warming himself up again will be difficult if he were to stop now.

The usual person greeted him at the large gates of the Kagami residence; the man whom Kuroko guessed was the family butler. His attire certainly pegged him as a one; with his black tailcoat, white dress shirt and ironed necktie. Kuroko took the chance to sneak a quick glance up as he handed over a copy of newspaper to the butler, his attention focused on the third window from the left of the top floor. He hadn't been inclined to mention anything, but he actually knew who Kagami was long before they officially met - or at least as "the redhead from the window on the second floor of the mansion near the illogically dark lane". Kuroko occasionally saw him looking out from his room for the past few years whenever he happened to pass by, though he was pretty sure Kagami didn't notice him. Barely any stranger ever did.

Not that he minded that much.

The curtains to Kagami's room were drawn now, and the lights were turned off. Kuroko let out a puff of breath he didn't realize he was holding. He was relieved. Kagami wasn't pulling any all nighters. That was good. Kuroko might've asked him to revise some of his studies on his own, but he wasn't intending to imply for him to stay up all night just to cram stuff into his brain. He knew just how draining that feat was. He had to do that almost every night a year before just to obtain that scholarship he'd so desperately needed. Combined with his schedule during the day, he was not going to deny that he'd wanted to die on multiple occasions. The fact that he'd managed to pull through was something to be proud of.

Kuroko pushed off again after allowing himself several minutes to readjust the straps of the bag of newspapers on his bike. He casted his gaze skywards, his hand reaching to keep his cap from being taken by the wind. Heavy gray clouds hung low in the sky, as if threatening to sink lower and crush everything under them. With the absurdly low temperature, Kuroko wouldn't be surprised if it snowed for the first time in years.

And just after the thought crossed his mind, the first flake of white gently floated down, right in front of his very eyes. Eventually, more followed, and if he'd been in the mood, it was a sight to behold; the sky slowly being peppered by thousands of beautiful, white dots. As if the stars were falling. But Kuroko only heaved a soft sigh, pulling his coat around him a little tighter.

_Oh dear._

**xXx**

Kagami didn't know what possessed him to think that he liked the cold.

The first thing he registered when he woke up was the blast of cold that hit him as soon as he threw his blankets off himself. What. The. Hell. He knew it was getting colder by the day, but this was too much. He was so chilled, his teeth started chattering and his breath turned shaky. Kagami had considered this many times before, but why wasn't there a heater in his room? As manly as he thought he was, low temperatures were something even  _he_  couldn't handle at times. Kagami contemplated whether or not to wrap himself in his blanket before heading for the bathroom when he decided otherwise. The lumpy sheet would just slow him down. He needed the hot shower and a change of warm clothes, fast.

Kagami did not notice the snow until he was standing at his home's front door, geared in an extra t-shirt under his uniform, a muffler and one of those charcoal heat packs he'd picked up from 7-Eleven the other day stuck to the back of his shirt. He pushed the wooden panel from its frame and stopped short at the sight before him. It'd stopped snowing for the time being, but a thin sheet of white covered the grounds, the top of the trees, the porch. Kagami had seen snow before, of course, but he still couldn't help feeling marveled. The world seemed bleached of color; only whiteness everywhere, as if everything was fading to nothing. Wow. He was turning poetic now.

On a more serious note, Kagami felt worried about his shoes. He was wearing his favored sneakers, and getting them wet would be a real bother. It was worse when he was still in the States, but still. He wasn't looking forward to stuffing his dripping wet shoes into his locker and leaving them there for hours only to wear them again when school ended. He wasn't heading straight home after school either, and knowing they wouldn't dry properly killed his spirits.  _At least I wouldn't need to walk around with wet feet all day_ , he thought with a sigh as he stepped off his porch and onto the concrete walkway. Worst comes to worst, he'd have to wear that pair of boots he hated tomorrow. Just the thought of it made him blanch. He really loathed those boots. They were uncomfortable as anything and they made him look like a douche.

Kagami made an effort to stay on dry ground whenever he was outside; going around snow patches instead of walking on it and sprinting over it if he had no choice. He tried his best to stay out of the way of snowball fights (there were plenty going around). He didn't mind doing all the extra work. Moving kept him warm and he was fine with that.

He should've known it'd be extra lively at the orphanage that day, since it was snowing and all and the kids were hyper enough as it is already. Really, Kagami tried to blame himself for his carelessness when he got ambushed by a squadron of screaming children with deathly snow projectiles. But he couldn't. They saw the opportunity and took it. Those punks had nerves, attacking him out of the blue like that. Kagami's first impulse was to drop everything and take his revenge, and that was exactly what he did.

He didn't have a chance and he knew it. Size didn't matter when it was one guy against thirty hyperactive children that couldn't give two shits if they got wet or sick later. Halfway through, Kagami was glad he'd taken the time to dump his bag and blazer aside before jumping into battle. He was only five minutes in when he was soaked all the way to his t-shirt. The kids seemed exceptionally keen on ganging up on him, though it wasn't as if Kagami was going to hold back, either. He fought with all he had, desperately dodging behind the plants and unfortunate kids who happened to be in the line of fire before retaliating with as many decent snowballs as he could manage.

Kagami was pinned down on the ground by half of the kids while the other half contemplated among themselves whether or not to bury him alive when Kuroko and Ogiwara showed up at the gate, carrying bags of groceries in their hands. Ogiwara looked like he badly wanted to join the children in freezing Kagami to death, but he kept his self control when Kuroko shot him a look. Instead, he was assaulted by having a snowball land dead on the center his face, followed by a chorus of loud, gleeful laughter.

Matron appeared outside to yell at them to return indoors just after Ogiwara made his declaration of war. There were a lot of whines and complaints (Ogiwara's being the loudest) at her demand, but they eventually gave in to the lady's glare and filed back into the house. Kagami pushed himself upright and shivered when a breeze blew right at him and his wet clothes. Well shoot. He didn't really consider it ten minutes ago, but how was he supposed get his clothes to dry now?

Matron was armed with a couple of towels and was ready to fuss over him as soon as he stepped inside. Despite Kagami's protests, she insisted on patting him dry while he rubbed a cloth over his damp hair. It didn't exactly make his shirts any dryer, but Kagami was grateful for her concern. It was the first time he'd ever been treated this way, and he couldn't say he didn't like it. Kagami knew why that despite being parentless and all, the orphans did not seem bitter or depressed or anything of that sort. With such a kind woman to raise and love them, it was pretty impossible to turn into a person who hates the world.

Kagami couldn't help wondering if things had worked out between his own parents, would his mother be like that too? Would she freak out and make a big commotion out of the stupid little things he would do and could've done as a part of his youth? Would his mum shut him up when he asks her to stop treating him like a child and continue spoiling him anyway?

Would she?

"Tetsuya-kun! Would you go up and get a set of Teppei's clothes for Kagami-kun?"

Matron's sudden raise of voice volume effectively snapped him out of his reverie, and he blinked, slowly returning from his thoughts. His gaze focused back at the scene before him, and for the first time, he noticed that the thick layers of clothes the children had been wearing outside were actually not that thick at all. In fact, most of it were threadbare and were only held in one piece by scores and scores of clumsy sewing and patching. Kagami wasn't sure how to describe the emotion that washed over him that moment. There was a sort of tugging at his heart. Was it.. sadness? Pity? He wasn't sure. But the other one that overwhelmed him was without a doubt,  _respect_. He respected the fact that they could still be happy from the bottom of their hearts even though it was obvious that they were just barely scraping by.

" Kagami-kun?"

"Y-Yeah?" Kagami hoped he hadn't been spacing out again. He probably was. Matron raised an eyebrow at his sudden disorientation, but otherwise made no comment. Instead, she trusted a set of dry clothes into his hands and ordered (yes,  _ordered_ ) him to change before he caught a cold. Kagami was barely processing the turn of events when Ogiwara walked over and shoved him forward from behind, leading him upstairs to let him change in peace. He was grinning and sounding really friendly and all, but Kagami could detect a hint of hostility from the other boy. That push really hurt. For some reason, he noticed, Ogiwara didn't like him much.

Not that it was his problem or anything. He didn't live solely to impress  _him_.

Kagami tried not to stare too hard when he slipped into a random room under Ogiwara's command. The place wasn't too small, but it wasn't very spacious either. There were two double-decker beds occupying a side of the room each and several folded futons arranged neatly in a corner. A good-sized dresser was pushed against the wall directly opposite the entrance. It must be a pretty tight fit at night when its bedtime, Kagami couldn't help musing as he pulled on the dry shirt he was offered. The garment smelt like a strange but pleasant mixture of warm milk and green tea. It was baggy even for him, but he didn't mind since he preferred loose clothes over those tight, stuffy, ironed ones his father sometimes made him wear even at home. Besides, it felt good to be out of his damp, sticky clothes. Kagami hastily changed out of his pants before proceeding to bunch his wet clothes up and head back outside.

Kagami stopped short as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, blinking as he tried to comprehend what he saw. Instead of being scattered around like they usually were, the younger orphans now gathered and huddled in a group around the heater, wrapped snugly in blankets. Coincidentally, Matron had placed the god-sent device right beside the table which Kagami's tutoring lessons would commence on - which, means like it or not, he would have the whole orphanage witnessing him as he walked the road to failure.

This was going to be  _so_  much fun.

"Ah, wait a minute, Kagami-kun!" Kagami was just about to take his usual seat opposite Kuroko when Matron rushed over. She took a moment to regain her breath before straightening up, holding out her hands. "Your dirty clothes."

"Huh?" Kagami was not exactly processing the situation.

"You didn't seriously expect me to let you go all the way back home with  _those_ , are you?" Matron pointed at the bundle in his hands, looking horrified.

"Umm." Kagami couldn't decide whether or not to tell her that he was planning on returning his borrowed clothes before he left and going home in his uniform because showing up with a set of garments not his own would only arouse suspicion among the servants and his father would question him day and night and that would be really exhausting. But then again, Matron would probably insist on washing his clothes for him and he didn't want that, either. What if they didn't dry in time? He'd have to go home with half his uniform missing and the maids would surely gossip and his tutoring lessons would be revealed.

Bad. This was bad. He should've thought twice before he engaged in that snow fight.

Kagami figured his face must've looked very constipated -or, at least just as pained- because Matron did not persist. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips in thought, and finally after a brief consideration, she said; "At least let me hang it up so it'll dry a bit by the time you're done."

Kagami personally made sure the lady failed to sneak off and chuck his uniform in the washing machine while he wasn't looking. Really, Matron terrified him sometimes.

"So." Kagami cleared his throat when he'd settled down at last. He tried to ignore the curious stares directed at him and his tutor. "What's next?"

Kuroko's expression was utterly unchanged when he made his reply a few seconds later. "We'll do a kanji test today."

Kagami didn't think it was possible for him to sweat in the current temperature, but he felt the familiar prickle on his skin as soon as he heard the statement. "S-Seriously?"

"Yes." Kuroko had no sympathy in his tone whatsoever. He reached over to retrieve a random book from the stack the redhead had produced from his bag. "Open your notebook, please."

Kagami, of course, had no choice but to obey. Heaving a deep, pained sigh, he picked up a pencil, and braced himself for the embarrassment to come.

He could tell Kuroko was trying hard to go easy on him. He could tell that the kanji characters he asked were all the basic ones. Kagami's problem was -like he was told a little later- that he had an idea on how the word was supposed to be written, just not entirely sure. He knew the word looked more or less like how he pictured, but he couldn't confirm the number of strokes and all that. But despite scoring a mere three out of fifteen, Kuroko told him there was an improvement. When Kagami asked in what way (because it seemed just as bad to him), he told him that he couldn't even remember how the kanji  _looked_  like at all during their first lesson, much less having a slight idea. At this rate, Kagami might still be able to survive.

"Kagami's really an idiot, huh?" mused one of the kids who'd been sitting increasingly close to the two boys. When Kagami glanced over his shoulder to make a retort, he realized that the kids were practically  _sticking_  to him and his tutor. A number of them were snuggled against one another; some taking naps, some quietly reading books or the like. The snowball fight apparently exhausted them quite a bit - which, was a first because Kagami was actually somehow made to believe they had an unlimited supply of energy.

"Kagami-kun's a returnee," Kuroko reasoned softly, careful not to wake the sleeping ones around him. "So he probably didn't get much formal Japanese education."

"A returnee?" The little boy accidentally raised his voice in his fit of agitation, and Kuroko had to hurriedly shush him. "From where?" he asked, softer this time.

"You don't need to know," Kagami told him warily. He didn't mean to snap at the kid or anything, but he wasn't exactly keen on reviewing his past right now. Not when it's the final day of his tutoring lessons with the blue-haired boy tomorrow. Kagami felt that despite all the invisible buckets of sweat and tears he had to go through, it wasn't enough. He had to put in a final burst of desperate effort or else he'll really fail for sure and there goes the rest of his basketball-filled school life and no he didn't want that he'd die if he didn't get to play soon he swore.

"Please?" the child pleaded, staring up at him with his large brown eyes - a tactic Kagami had came to identify as the "puppy eyes" thanks to some occasional mentions from his classmates and friends at school. He thought they were weak-willed at first; to be so easily swayed by their younger siblings or the ones they were babysitting, but he guessed he understood now. Those eyes  _were_  a little difficult to say no to.

Kagami breathed a sigh. He was going to regret this later; he just knew it.

"America," he muttered barely audibly before turning back to his books, determined to keep himself busy so that he would have a reason not to answer if the questions came flying at him. He could almost feel the excitement radiating from the boy, just waiting to burst out. Fortunately, the child managed to restrain himself, and went back to his novel without asking any further.

"There seems to be an improvement in your math, too," Kuroko commented as he went over the redhead's answers a little later, sounding a little more surprised than Kagami thought was necessary. "You're getting better at this, Kagami-kun."

"Uhh thanks..?" Kagami was admittedly not very sure how he should react to the sudden compliment. "Is it enough, though?"

"To pass? I don't think so." Kuroko lifted his gaze to meet his companion's eyes. "But don't worry. There's still time," he added upon seeing the shattered look on his face.

"Two days might not make much of a difference, you know," Kagami failed to refrain from murmuring. Kuroko only stared at him, his eyebrows knitted slightly at his words as if they'd somehow offended him.

"I don't see why it won't when it already did," he said, and Kagami realized he had a point. "Besides, I know some emergency measures if we ever need it."

Kagami hoped those measures of his didn't include cheating because he was pretty sure he didn't have the stealth for it. At all.

"And what might those be, if I might ask?" Kagami inquired tentatively, watching the shorter boy closely for any changes in composure or something.

Kuroko's pokerface did not even twitch. "I'll only let you know when the time comes. Or else you'd depend entirely on them and neglect studying."

"Fair enough, I guess." Kagami decided with a shrug. Though he was positive he'll be needing it anyway, he wasn't going to go down without trying. It just wasn't his style. Without saying another word, he went back to the grammar exercises Kuroko had assigned him to.

It was a long while before they spoke again.

Kagami was never much of the type to pay full attention when studying, but the few days spent under Kuroko's guidance had changed his ways, even if it was by a little. He now made an effort to direct all his focus on his revision. In fact, he got so absorbed in the sheets of paper that he didn't even notice Matron walking over to place a mug of hot cocoa on the table for them each at one point.

But despite himself, despite having summoned all the willpower he owned, Kagami eventually found himself nodding off, the drowsy environment taking its effect. The fact that he was tired from school and all did not help much. He yawned once before shaking his head roughly in an attempt to keep himself awake. He peered up to discover that Kuroko wasn't doing any better than him. His eyes were closed and his head kept tipping back and forth as he struggled not to drift off. Kagami couldn't blame him. Practically everything around them were lulling them to sleep; the napping children, the warmth of the heater, the mounds and mounds of soft, fluffy blankets.

"Maybe you should take a break," he suggested the next time Kuroko successfully pried his eyes open.

"I'm fine," Kuroko insisted, barely stifling a yawn. "Give me a moment and I'll be okay."

"Well in case you don't know, you look utterly exhausted," Kagami pointed out. He wasn't joking. The guy had dark circles around his eyes and he seemed paler than usual. If he didn't rest soon, even Kagami was able to tell that he'll fall sick. "Go ahead and nap," he told him. "It'll take a while for me to finish my stuff, anyway."

It took him several tries before he could finally coax the shorter teen to rest. When the latter finally gave in and dozed off the second his head hit the table, Kagami took in a deep breath, and went back to work, digging his nails onto the palm of his non-writing hand to let the sting prevent him from closing his eyes and stop functioning completely.

Kagami wasn't sure how much time had passed when a sound reached his ears. They were so accustomed to listening only to the scratch of his pencil against the surface of paper and the rhythmic breathing of the people around him, everything else sounded foreign. He stopped writing and looked up, his brain slowly registering the chime-like sound reverberating throughout the house. Something finally clicked into place, and he recognized it as the sound of the doorbell.

Before he could decide whether or not to answer it, Ogiwara woke up from across the room with a very loud, very unnecessary snort, and the moment he regained his bearings, he practically jumped to his feet, and headed for the door. The others stirred at the loud thuds of his footsteps, letting out a chorus of groans. They didn't look too happy.

Kagami heard the front door being opened a little while later, followed by a muffled voice saying something he couldn't make out. He thought it sounded something like "Shigecchi!"

To his surprised, the door promptly slammed shut, and he could hear the same voice whining from the other side; begging to be let in while complaining about the cold outside. Ogiwara grumbled something unintelligible under his breath before opening the door again, his tone set to a low hiss as he spoke to the person outside. From the sound of it, Kagami could tell he was furious at the guy for some reason. Ogiwara was generally a good guy, really. Kagami subconsciously wondered what the guy outside could've done to anger him so much.

The pair spent several minutes more bickering back and forth, and finally, Ogiwara relented and let the dude in, though the bang the door produced when he closed it was enough to show that he was doing this purely out of courtesy because Matron would skin him alive if she found out he'd almost locked a guest out in the cold.

Most of the occupants of the living room were awake now, their bleary glares directed at the entry way. Their annoyance toward the commotion was clear from the frown on their faces. Even Kuroko had woken; he was sitting straight now while rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Kagami instinctively looked over his shoulder when he heard the sound of feet stepping onto the wooden flooring of the room, quite unable to contain his curiosity.

The newcomer was a tall blond teen with a pair of shades over his eyes and a muffler pulled so high up it covered half his face. He seemed completely at home with not the slightest hint of discomfort in his posture as he came to the stop at the mouth of the entryway. He casually swept his gaze around the room once, as if looking for something - or someone. He turned toward Kagami's direction, and he visibly brightened up as soon as he spotted  _him_.

"Tetsucchi!"

Kuroko seemed to freeze when the guy called his name; his eyes wide, his hands unmoving, his shoulders tensed. His usual emotionless demeanor was temporarily forgotten as he stared and stared and  _stared_. The blond reached up and removed his shades, the other hand tugging down his muffler to reveal a boyishly handsome face. He was grinning from ear to ear, his amber eyes dancing.

When Kuroko found his voice at last, it was a name that escaped his lips. "Ryouta-kun."

And at that moment, Kagami realized why he looked so darned familiar the first time he saw him.

He was one of the boys around Kuroko in the picture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oyea its an update //shot


	6. Chapter 6

Things would’ve gotten messy if Matron hadn’t heard the commotion and came running out of the kitchen with a knife in her hands.

As soon as Kuroko confirmed recognizing him, the blond boy’s grin widened, and he was about to run over and glomp the former when Ogiwara walked in and grabbed his arm.

“Shigecchi, let go!” he protested, trying to shake off the raven. Ogiwara held on, his grip tightening so much, the blonde yelped in pain. He turned toward him, intending to release another string of protests when he was cut short by the expression on his face. If glares could kill, he would’ve dropped dead right there and then.

“What makes you think you have the right to even _touch_ Tetsuya after all that happened?” Ogiwara burst out, his tone so fierce, the children flinched. His usual happy-go-lucky attitude was gone, replaced with something else entirely; something frightening and barely controlled. “What makes you think you still have the right to show your stupid model face after disappearing for years?”

The blonde’s face fell, his smile fading. His eyebrows knit together, and the next second, he looked like he was about to cry. “I’m sorry. I can explain-“

“It’s not _me_ you should apologize to,” Ogiwara snapped, roughly yanking his arm down before releasing it. “I wasn’t the one you and the others hurt. _I_ wasn’t the one you guys abandoned! You should know that better than anyone!”

“Shigecchi-“

“That’s enough.”

Kagami was so caught up in watching the argument, he didn’t realize Kuroko had gotten up from his spot and had headed over to where the pair was. The pale boy now stood between the two, his arms outstretched, as if he was trying to prevent them from getting any closer to each other. Ogiwara looked incredulous, as if he couldn’t believe Kuroko was still defending the blond boy despite everything.

“Tetsuya-“

And then Kuroko’s palm connected to the blonde’s cheek, producing a sound so loud, it almost echoed through the silent room where practically everyone was holding their breath. Hearing it, Kagami involuntarily winced. That must’ve hurt a lot. He immediately felt guilty to be witnessing the flow of events, being the only outsider and all. But he couldn’t help it. There was no way he could’ve been able to focus on his work with all the voices shouting back and forth, anyway. The situation was just about to  turn much tenser as they waited for the blonde’s reaction when Matron made an appearance, holding a very sharp, very bloodied knife in her hands.

“What’s going on here?” she demanded and the nearest kids screamed in terror, scrambling away from the proximity of her knife. She seemed surprised at first, looking down at herself to see if she’d somehow morphed into a monster or something. Unbelievably, she did not notice the object she was holding in her hands.

“Matron what on earth did you do what’s with all that blood _oh my god_!” Ogiwara exclaimed in one long, continuous sentence as soon as he spotted the knife. Matron didn’t seem to understand what he was talking about until the others recovered enough to tell her; “The knife, Matron! The knife!”

And when she finally understood what they meant and registered the potential murder weapon she was holding, she let out a very undignified squeak, and disappeared back to the back of the house for a second before making a reappearance, scratching her cheek sheepishly. Add to the list of reasons why Kagami found her so scary at times.

“ _Whoops_ ,” was all she had to say about the matter. Eighty percent of the occupants in the living room facepalmed. Seriously? It’s popular to forget about holding a spatula, but a knife? The woman could pat someone on the back and accidentally stab him dead and not realize it until the poor guy was lying limp in a pool of blood. On the bright side, though, her stunt was enough to break the tension floating heavily in the air because one kid started guffawing all of the sudden, his laugh highly contagious. Ogiwara tried hard to maintain his scowl. He really did. But he found the urge to laugh along overpowering, and it wasn’t long before he too, was doubling over in his fit of laughter.

“I _swear_ , Matron,” he said with weary endearment once he finally managed to stop, wiping the tears off the corner of his eyes. Matron only looked at him innocently, a lopsided smile plastered on her face.

“I have no idea what you mean,” she chuckled. Then she seemed to notice the blond boy for the first time. “Oh? We have a guest?”

The said person turned around, and she gasped in recognition. “Ryou-chan!”

“Matronnnn!” The blonde promptly rushed over and hugged her, tears in his eyes. It was a good thing she’d taken the initiative to put the knife down. “What should I do!? Tetsucchi hates me now!”

“Well, good to see you too,” Matron said almost drily as she hugged back. She let them stay as they were for a moment before pushing the boy an arm’s length away from herself, taking in the sight of him before her. Her hands moved up to tenderly cup his face. “You’ve grown up, Ryou-chan,” she muttered, the affection raw in her voice.

The boy sniffled, the tears still pouring down his face. “But Tetsucchi hates me..”

“Now I’m sure he doesn’t really, right?” Matron leaned a little sideways and shot at look at the pale, stoic boy in question. If Kuroko was intimidated, he didn’t let on.

“I don’t, actually,” he said, flexing his wrists. “Not after hitting him on the face.”

“So you don’t? Really?” The blonde spun around so fast, he almost knocked Matron over. His eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

“ _I_ still do,” Ogiwara cut in, still glaring at him. He held his gaze for a full five seconds before finally looking away and heaving a sigh. “But you know what? Forget it. We’ll settle this another day.”

“Tetsucchi doesn’t hate meeee!” The other boy squealed as if Ogiwara hadn’t said anything at all, barreling over to pull the paler one into a crushing hug. Kuroko didn’t’ resist this time; he even hugged back, wrapping his arms somewhere around the base of the taller boy’s ribcage because he couldn’t exactly reach any higher than that.

“Hmm? You guys got a friend over?” The blonde asked once he’d finally worked up enough willpower to part with Kuroko, spotting Kagami who was still trying very hard to mind his own business and do his work.

“He’s my student,” Kuroko told him, and he perked up.

“Uwaaa, Tetsucchi’s still so smart huh?” He marveled before heading over to where Kagami was and taking a seat next to him. “I’m Kise Ryouta. Nice to meet you!”

Kagami tried to look as indifferent as possible as he glanced up and said, “Hey.”

“Umm,” One of the girls nearby spoke up tentatively, as though she was afraid Kise would eat her or something. “Are you _the_ Kise Ryouta? As in the _model_ , Kise Ryouta?”

Kise took one look at her, and unexpectedly, he let out a laugh. “I suppose you weren’t here yet when I left, huh?” he said, a tinge of wistfulness in his voice. “I used to be just Ryouta, but yeah. I’m him. I’m the guy you sometimes see at those stores and on magazines and all that.” The females could only ogle at the fact that a real life model was actually sitting in the same room as them. His smile didn’t waver when he surveyed his surroundings properly for the first time, studying the mixture of familiar and new faces. “Where’s Riko nee-san and the others?” he realized for the first time, turning to Kuroko - who, was returning to his seat across Kagami - for answers. “Don’t tell me they’re all-“

“At school having club activities,” Ogiwara finished for him, sinking down onto the remaining spot around the table. He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand. “So what brings you here after all these years?”

As Kise casually ignored the fact that someone was actually attempting to study and pass his exams, he launched into a long sermon on how his company had wanted to do a photoshoot in the next town and how he’d made used of his free time to finally take a visit to his old home after several years and how much he’d missed the orphans especially Kuroko and probably a million things more if Kagami’s patience hadn’t snapped and the redhead hadn’t yelled at him to shut up. Really, he didn’t mean to ruin the heartfelt reunion and all, but he had no choice. They could at least talk somewhere else instead of gathering around him and babbling on and on and on and _gosh_ Kise was annoying.

“He’s right,” Kuroko broke the silence that formed from the redhead’s outburst a while later. “Both of you should continue your conversation somewhere else. Kagami-kun’s having an exam next week and he’s got to focus.”

“What about you, then?” Ogiwara asked, ignoring Kise’s loud protests on why Kuroko wasn’t going to join them.

“I’ll stay here,” Kuroko replied, flipping open a random book and looking like he had no intention whatsoever to leave his spot. “I’m supposed to be the tutor, after all.”

“Well that’s settled.” Ogiwara got to his feet and stood up, stretching. “Come on, Ryou. Let’s leave them alone.”

There was an odd ring in his tone which no one caught, much to his relief. Kise initially looked hesitant to go away, but seeing that his Tetsucchi wasn’t going to entertain him anytime soon, he breathed a soft sigh, and got up as well. Kagami raked his fingers through his hair as soon as the pair left, silently lamenting over the fact that he’d just wasted a precious fifteen minutes being distracted and not getting anything done. His hopes to miraculously scrape through his exams really were getting further and further out of reach. 

“Relax, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko told him, seeing his agonized expression. “You won’t be able to concentrate properly if you’re tensed up like that.”

“Can I just give up?” Kagami muttered, plopping his head on the table and sounding a bit more pathetic than he would’ve preferred. He was seriously ready to shred the papers laid on the table before him now. After all the excitement and stuff, he’d completely lost the mood to study, and he figured it would be insanely difficult to summon it back again.

“Giving up is not an option,” Kuroko said, calmly shutting the book in his hands. “Maybe you should do what you want to do instead. Go ahead and pick a subject and we’ll go over it.”

“Frankly, I don’t feel like doing anything much right now.” With great effort, Kagami heaved himself off the table. A yawn escaped his lips soon after. “Except maybe take a nap or something.”

“You can always go stand at the porch for a while,” Kuroko suggested, his deadpanned tone doing nothing to mask his not-so innocent intentions. “The cold wind does wonders to cure drowsiness.”

“I think I’ll take up the first offer,” Kagami said warily, making an mental note to never piss the paler boy off in the future because with time he was more and more convinced that Kuroko would let him freeze to death outside without even batting an eye if he ever got unlucky enough to get on his nerves. Kagami settled his gaze on the stack of books by his arm. He didn’t even feel like _looking_ at them, much less trying to revise. “Umm..”

“I suppose forcing you to study wouldn’t make things better,” Kuroko decided, noticing the other boy’s dilemma. He exhaled softly through his mouth before reaching for yet another book from Kagami’s collection. “How about this; I’ll ask you questions and you’ll answer me verbally for a change.”

It sounded slightly better than having to face nothing but words and words and more words. “Sure, I guess.”

“I won’t be focusing on a particular subject,” Kuroko warned, and he started his first question before Kagami could make any other comments. “What is the formula used to obtain the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle?”

“A square plus B square equals C square..?” Kagami answered after thinking for a while, though he sounded unsure even to his own ears. He held his breath as he waited for his tutor’s confirmation.

“Correct,” Kuroko nodded, going straight to the next question. “State three chemical properties of an acid.”

“Reacts with metal to form hydrogen; reacts with metal carbonates to form carbon dioxide; and reacts with a base to form, uh, salt and water?”

“An acid forms salt and water too when it reacts with metal carbonates,” Kuroko corrected him without the slightest hesitation. “When and how did the second World War begin?”

They went one like that for the next hour or so ; Kuroko asking random questions from random subjects and Kagami doing his best to answer them correctly. Kagami was surprised at how much he actually knew, as well as at how much he didn’t. The whole quizzing thing was a lot more interesting than having to just sit there and answer questions, he had to admit. He guessed it was mainly because the people around them started getting restless listening to them going back and forth at one point, and decided to chime in with their answers. Kuroko’s lack of obligation to stop them only encouraged them to continue stealing Kagami’s chances.

The ridiculous replies were the ones that really improved the mood. At least Kagami discovered that he wasn’t the only idiot in the house. Ogiwara sucked about as much as him; offering answers that were miles away from the correct one. Kise was average, though he was really bad at certain subjects. The other children didn’t do too bad considering how the questions were not from their syllabus. Even the older orphans who returned home later took part in the session while they were still at it. Teppei did his best, but Riko dominated the thing without even trying.

“It’s not fair that Riko-nee is placed the second best in her year!” Someone protested when she successfully provided the fifteenth correct answer in a row. The girl only crossed her arms and smiled triumphantly, her face almost glowing with pride.

“Hmph. It’s not my fault that I’m born a genius,” she said, and promptly received a chorus of boos and such. Even so, she didn’t take heart. Instead, she laughed; a silly, good-natured laugh. And soon, there was another round of laughter from the occupants of the living room. It didn’t even make sense. There wasn’t even anything funny going on. But Kagami didn’t care, didn’t want to think too much about it.

Because for once, he was enjoying himself doing something other than playing basketball.

**xXx**

_Ryouta-kun is back._

The sentence kept repeating over and over and _over_ again in his mind when he saw him in the living room. It was him - really _him_ and not any imposter or lie or anything. He was the very same boy, the very same Ryouta-kun who grew up by his side. The very same one who promised to come back and visit as soon as he settled down when he left. The very same one who never did, just like the others.

He was just like the others.

Kuroko might constantly wear a pokerface, but he was also constantly fighting back his own raging emotions. Like how he was then when Kise first called his name as soon as he spotted him. He couldn’t decide to let which emotion show; his yearning to see him again or his anger toward him for never coming back even once all these years. Or his pride because just look at him now; he’d changed so much yet he was still so.. _him_. He was still the crybaby he knew. He was still the little bundle of sunshine he knew.

He was still the Ryouta-kun he knew.

Kuroko understood Ogiwara’s hostility toward the blond boy. He had all rights to do so. Ogiwara might claim that he wasn’t the one Kise and the others hurt when they left, but Kuroko knew. He knew that he too, had felt betrayed. Lied to. He might deny everything when you ask him face to face, but Ogiwara had also once treated them as brothers. They were his close friends, his family. He might be the one who had always been there to cheer Kuroko up, to tell him empty lies that they’ll return soon enough so just wait a little while longer, but the latter saw them. He never said a word, but he saw them; the occasional faraway stare, the occasional frustrated exhaled breath. Ogiwara had missed them back in the days as well.

Kuroko didn’t know what made him settle for slapping Kise in the face, but he didn’t regret it. Not much, anyway. It felt good. It pretty much summed up his myriad of emotions at that moment. It certainly saved him the trouble to think of what to say and end up blurting out the wrong things. Actions were louder than words, after all.

Kise didn’t mull over what he did, much to Kuroko’s relief. He figured he’d be tempted to rip his own hair off if the blonde were to constantly whine about the hit he’d received on his cheek. Kise was, if anything, a whole lot more tentative with everyone after the series of events. He made an effort to feel remorseful, at least.

“So,” Ogiwara started once they’d all settled down for dinner. The old-time orphans all sat around the same table with Matron while the more recent ones gathered at the other one. Kagami didn’t join them this time, with the reason that he was worried he’d freeze to death on the way home if he returned any later. “You may start explaining yourself now,” Ogiwara said, directing his words to the blond boy seated opposite of him.

Kise dropped his gaze to avoid meeting the eyes of the many people he’d left behind when he got adopted four years back. He’d never mentioned a thing about the matter, but even _he_ was ashamed of himself for not returning to the place he’d grown up in for a visit even once ever since he left. He’d tried many times to go back. He tried making plans to make a short trip there on his off-days. But something was always up; an emergency, a bad weather, an event his mother dragged him to attend. It was as if Fate just wasn’t letting him go back. A year eventually passed, and the promise he made was long broken.

And that was when he started feeling afraid. What if they were mad at him? What if they hated him and yelled at him for not showing his face any sooner? What if he’s not welcomed anymore? More than anything, Kise hated himself for having such thoughts. Did he have such little faith in his old family? Apparently yes. And that alone was enough to keep him from returning to the orphanage for years.

Until now.

“Well?” Ogiwara prompted when Kise kept his silence for a full minute, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. The blonde seemed to be deeply contemplating on what to say. He felt many pairs of eyes trained on him, quietly expecting him to answer. But should he? What if his reasons were too pathetic? What if he sounded like some sort of brat?

But weren’t those questions the thing that hindered him from going back in the first place? Kise slowly clenched his fist, finally coming to a resolve. He’d been running away from this long enough. Who knows when he’d have another chance like this? It was now or never and he knew it. He had to settle things now.

Here goes nothing.

“Honestly, I was a little afraid to come back,” he began, willing himself to look up and face the people around him. Seeing the diverse variety of expressions that greeted him, Kise was tempted to laugh, but he knew better than to do that. It wasn’t the right time. When no one seemed inclined to stop him with questions, he went on; carefully choosing his words to explain his reason to avoid any misunderstandings. There were already enough of them right now. He had to clear things up while he still could.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” Kise added softly when he’d finished, bracing himself for the angry remarks that he was sure he’d be receiving. But they never came. Not one. Not even from Ogiwara who’d been so mad when he saw him, Kise swore he was doing all he could just to refrain from ripping him from limb to limb.

“What’s there to be mad about?” Matron spoke up and broke the silence after several minutes, her tone incredulous. “You’re here now, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah, but-“

“Isn’t that all that matters? That you’re here with us right _now_?” she asked further, her voice a little gentler this time. “You don’t have to keep on blaming yourself for not being able to come back. It’s not your fault.”

“But still-“

“But nothing,” she said with finality, cutting him off before he could say any more. “Now let’s stop talking and eat before the food gets cold. I might be a great cook, but my food only tastes good when its warm, you know.”

Kise wanted to continue his protests, but he caught himself at the last minute. He directed his gaze at Matron first, letting the nostalgia of seeing her slowly and finally wash over him. She hadn’t changed much; from her stature to her personality to her cooking. She still was the woman who raised him, who’d put up with his past crybaby self. Who loved him like a real mother. And he hadn’t registered exactly how much he missed the people he knew in the orphanage until then. There was a slight squeeze in his chest now, and he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes; honest tears and not the ones he’d often playfully shed by will.

“I know,” he managed to choke out softly without having his voice crack too much. He took several deep breaths before proceeding to start eating with everyone else, willing the pain in his chest to go away. He hoped no one noticed the moisture in his eyes as he blinked rapidly while hanging his head, trusting his long bangs to hide his face.

But one person did notice; one who prided himself for being exceptionally observant. One who probably knew him better than almost anyone else. One who had never taken his eyes off him ever since they settled down around the dinner table.

Kuroko kept quite despite being aware of just how close to breaking down Kise had been. How could he when the latter was trying so hard to hide it? How could he when he came to a realization that he’d been nothing but selfish all this while? That he’d never even stopped to consider Kise’s circumstances for not visiting them? He couldn’t. He couldn’t bring himself to. There was no point. He wasn’t that mean of a person to start with.

“Tetsucchi.”

“Yes?” Kuroko glanced at the taller beside him as he scrubbed a plate clean, his arms covered in soapy water nearly all the way to his elbows. Kise was doing his part by wiping the cleaned dishes with a dry cloth before placing them on the rack nearby. Matron had initially objected for him, a guest, to do chores, but Kise had insisted. He wanted some alone time with Kuroko, and to his utmost relief, Matron understood that and eventually gave in, leaving them to themselves.

“I’m sorry,” Kise said, then broke into a brittle laugh. “I hadn’t said that properly to you, had I?”

“I don’t know what you’re apologizing for,” Kuroko told him calmly. Still deep in thought, he lowered the plate he was holding in his pale hands. “I should be the one saying sorry, not Ryouta-kun,” he said after a short pause.

“But why? You’re not the one who broke a promise.” Kise sounded genuinely confused. Of everyone in the orphanage, he’d expected Kuroko to blame him the most - Ogiwara seconding him.

“I was the one who slapped you without knowing anything,” Kuroko said, sighing softly. “I’m sorry, Ryouta-kun.”

“Look, I deserved that slap, okay?” Kise said, a wan smile finding its way to his lips. “I deserve all your hate.”

“No one hates you,” Kuroko insisted, reaching to shut the flow of water. “No one can bring themselves to.”

“That’s not true and you know it.”

“All I know is that you’re still the Ryouta-kun that everyone loves with all their heart.” He turned to face the taller boy, the corner of his mouth upturned to one of his rare soft smiles. Kise seemed too stunned at the sight to react at first, only staring at him dumbfounded with his mouth half hanging open. How many times had he found that incredibly adorable in the past? The ridiculous yet sweet memory made him grin widely, despite himself.

“You think so?” he asked, a tinge of hopefulness in his voice.

“Mn.” Kuroko nodded, passing him the last of the dishes. “Is it the same for you, though?”

“Hm? What is?” Kise casted a sidelong glance at the shorter boy as he carefully dried the plate.

“Do you still love us too?”

“Ehhhh of course I do!” Kise made sure to place the dishware onto the rack with its brethren before pulling Kuroko into a hasty, tight embrace. “Though Tetsucchi is still my number one!” he announced cheerfully, very much back to his ditzy, sunshiny self.

“I see.” Kuroko couldn’t help leaning onto the gentle warmth that currently enveloped him. It felt comfortable, and it was a great way to cheer him up from the freezing weather. Kise had had a growth spurt since the last time they saw each other, and instead of the scrawny kid he once was, he was now able to completely cover Kuroko with his frame. He must’ve been working out a little too, considering his sturdy build.

 “Oh yeah,” Kise blurted out when he finally separated with the shorter teen, his tone indicating he’d just remembered something. “Come to think of it, have you heard of the others lately?”

Kuroko understood just exactly who ‘the others’ were, and he raised an eyebrow. “No,” he answered, wondering where was this conversation going to lead to. “You’re the first one all this while.”

“Oh.” Kise seemed to abruptly backtrack on what he was about to say.

“Why ask?” Kuroko pushed on, feeling a sense of dread slowly dawning on him. Please don’t let this be bad news. Please don’t let this be bad news.

“Ah, no. It’s just-“ Kise stammered and looked away, scratching his cheek as he searched for the right words. “How should I put this..”

Kuroko leaned against the rim of the sink, and waited. Kise contemplated for a while longer before visibly coming to a decision, the look in his amber eyes hardening. He took in a deep breath before speaking again, as if steeling himself. He then leaned over, lowering his voice to a whisper.

“It’s about Daikicchi,” he said, watching as Kuroko’s eyes widened at the familiar name. “I don’t know if the rumors are true or not, but I heard that he almost got kicked out of school just recently.”

“Daiki-kun?” Kuroko echoed, disbelief obvious in his tone. Kise nodded in confirmation.

“He’s suspended for the time being,” he said, shaking his head slightly because he still couldn’t believe it himself. “Apparently, the Daiki we know is a delinquent now.”


	7. Chapter 7

Ogiwara turned restlessly under the thick covers of his blanket, shivering from the cold that still seemed to be able to reach him no matter how tightly he wrapped the sheet around himself.

Matron had pulled out all the spare heaters she’d stashed up somewhere to put in every bedroom so that they wouldn’t freeze to death. Ogiwara’s was no exception. The device was set up dead in centre of the room so that everyone got the same amount of warmth. Well, not _everyone_ , actually. Ogiwara could hardly feel a thing, his spot being the top compartment of a double-decker bed. He rolled around for a good five minutes more before finally heaving a weary sigh and sitting up. He crept towards the edge of his bed, wary of overreaching and ending up falling face down on the floor. The room was completely dark except for the faint lighting from a nearby streetlight that seeped in through the faded curtains. Ogiwara’s hands managed to find the side railings of his compartment and he held on before leaning his weight over, hanging his head upside down to peer at the curled form of his bunkmate beneath him.

 “Hey, Tetsuya?” he called out in a loud whisper. He had a feeling the other boy too, was having trouble sleeping with the temperature. He was not one to always cope well with the cold. He received several seconds of silence before hearing a soft groan from below. Kuroko curled himself up a little tighter before turning over and parting his eyelids halfway, revealing a pair of blue eyes that were dimmed with sleep. Okay, maybe not so much trouble.

“Hmm?” He didn’t even bother forming a proper question. He knitted his eyebrows slightly as he focused on Ogiwara’s silhouette, working to adjust his sight to the dim illumination. “Shigehiro-kun?”

“I can’t sleep,” Ogiwara said flat out, not even giving a chance for Kuroko to wake himself up enough to ask. “It’s too cold.”

Kuroko stared at him, his expression blank. “And?”

“It’d be great if you let me get in there with you for the extra warmth.”

There was another lapse of silence before Ogiwara heard the sound of shifting fabric. He could now faintly see Kuroko’s figure in the lower bunk when he squinted, covered all the way to his ears with his blanket. The blue-haired boy had quietly moved a little further toward the inner side of his bunk, leaving some space just enough to fit Ogiwara if he kept his arms glued to his sides. Ogiwara felt a grin spread across his face as he hastily pulled his blanket off, gathered it in a bunch, and climbed down to the lower compartment with the agility worthy of a monkey. He happily wriggled into the slight space Kuroko had left for him, and proceeded to spread the sheet he brought with him over the both of them. It was a pretty snug fit and they had to share a pillow between them, but neither minded it much.

“..Can’t sleep either?” Ogiwara turned his head over and whispered after a while of listening to the soft, shallow breathing of his companion. He noted that he’d yet to achieve the deep, rhythmic ones that usually signified slumber. Kuroko shook his head as a response, sending his already mussed up hair into even more disarray. Ogiwara was a little disappointed with the fact that he’d be missing the sight of his bedhair the next morning. Perhaps he should try waking up a little earlier for that. He abandoned the thought when he felt Kuroko turning flat on his back so that he too, was looking at the bottom side of the top bunk.

“Not really,” Kuroko admitted in a barely audible voice, a distant look in his eyes. The slight knit had returned to his eyebrows, and it wasn’t from annoyance this time.

“You worried about something?” Ogiwara asked, and Kuroko could only shrug lightly.

“Sort of,” he said, exhaling a puff of air through his mouth. Ogiwara took a moment to analyze the hints the pale boy seemed to be giving out before asking again.

“Is it something Ryou told you?”

Kuroko burrowed his nose a little deeper under the edge of his blanket, hesitating to answer. When he finally did, it was because he remembered exactly just how persistent Ogiwara could be at times. There was no use trying to hide things from him. Besides, the raven was only caring for him like he always did. But Kuroko didn’t want to infect him with his own anxiety, especially not during such ungodly hours at night when everyone should already be dead to the world.

“It’s about Daiki-kun,” he said at last, and paused for a split second before deciding to add; “He’s changed.”

It was Ogiwara’s turn to furrow his brow. “How so?” He sounded genuinely confused.

“He’s a delinquent now.”

“ _What_?”

Ogiwara abruptly realized the rise in his voice volume and immediately clamped his mouth shut. He held his breath, waiting for his sleeping roommates to stir and start yelling at him for being so darn noisy in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the gentle snoring here and there barely even faltered, so it was safe for him to assume that he’d woken no one by accident.

“Seriously?” Ogiwara inquired again in a more hushed tone this time. Daiki’s a _delinquent_? The fact shouldn’t be that difficult for him to accept. The Daiki Ogiwara knew had always been rash and stupid and would do all kinds of things that would make anyone he knew line up to hit him upside the head. Ogiwara had always thought himself as a hot-headed person, but that guy was even more so. There’d been more than one case in which the rest of them had to hold him back from pummeling a person to death.

“Ryouta-kun said he’s currently in suspension,” Kuroko said, closing his eyes and heaving a sigh. It felt like there was an unsaid sentence, and Ogiwara was sure it was something like, “ _What am I going to do with him?_ ”

“He’s still a first-rate idiot, huh?” he muttered under his breath, surprised by the slight crack in his voice. He swallowed once and shifted his gaze to the side, admittedly afraid of Kuroko’s answer to his next question. “So.. you’re planning on doing something about it?”

“I don’t know, Shigehiro-kun,” Kuroko said, his expression positively a frown now. He sounded very, very tired. “I honestly don’t know.”

Sensing that the situation was about to make Kuroko too worked up to sleep, Ogiwara quickly attempted ending the discussion. He reached out his hand, and miraculously, he managed to find Kuroko’s through a gap in his blanket wrap. He held the warm, slender fingers and gave them a reassuring squeeze like how he did many times before, letting the smile spread across his face as he did so. “Hey, no use thinking about all those now when you’re already dead tired,” he told him gently. “Might as well get some shut-eye now and leave the rest for tomorrow.”

“I suppose,” Kuroko breathed, and Ogiwara could physically feel the tension easing from the former’s body. He turned his head slightly to face his companion, and a small smile graced his lips. “Thank you, Shigehiro-kun.”

“Anytime.” Ogiwara let out a soft laugh and shifted a little closer to the smaller boy. He leaned against the fluffiness of Kuroko’s wrapped up form, savoring the little heat that they got to share between them, and a yawn escaped his lips. “Good night, Tetsuya.”

“Mn.” Kuroko sighed softly and closed his eyes once more, ever grateful for the existence of the boy beside him. “Good night, Shigehiro-kun.”

And listening to the lulling sounds of snores and the soft electrical hum of the heater, he eventually succumbed to exhaustion, and drifted off.

**xXx**

Getting out of bed the next morning was hell.

It was so comfortably warm under the covers , Kuroko thought it’d take his life to part from it.  He tried not to make too many sudden movements as he unwound himself from his blanket, mindful of the sleeping Ogiwara next to him. He poked his arm out to test the temperature and immediately caught his breath. Even with the heater on, it was cold. When he’s out in the streets later, it’d surely be literally freezing. That thought didn’t exactly increase Kuroko’s willpower to leave his bed and get up.

When he finally _did_ manage to pull away from the dreadfully tempting comfort of his bed and crept over Ogiwara who was snoring like nobody’s business, Kuroko thought he’d be at least five minutes late. He figured being late would do him good. He could use some adrenaline pumping through his veins right about now. Anything to distract him from the fact that he was about to be embraced by the cruel arms of the winter temperature. Standing before the closed door of his room, Kuroko took a moment to steel his nerves before reaching for the handle, bracing himself for the blast of cold that would greet him as soon as he pulled the thick wooden panel from its frame.

He practically skipped through the hallway, his bare feet barely touching the wooden flooring as he headed to the bathroom. The door was locked when he got there, so he stood aside and waited, hugging his change of clothes close to himself. He silently prayed for the person inside to hurry up because despite his thoughts about how being late would be good for him, he was actually quite worried for it wasn’t his boss that minded his tardiness, but the customers. Kuroko especially disliked those who seem to think that the delivery team were robots or something; always expecting them to deliver the newspaper issues exactly at a certain set time. He hated their inability to understand that the delivery team were only human and could only do their best to do their job properly.  

It felt like forever had passed when the sound of water flushing was finally heard. The door unlocked, and to Kuroko’s mild astonishment, Kise stepped out, his blonde hair mussed up from sleep, his eyes still half closed. Kise had stayed the night because by the time dinner was over and all, it was pitch black outside and Matron wouldn’t let him go out alone. Kise had insisted that he’d be alright at first, claiming that he’d called his manager to pick him up at the nearest bus stop - which, actually was not that near at all. He’d donned his coat and muffler and all and was prepared to journey out alone. Until he opened the door. The blast of cold that greeted him was enough to shut him up, make him quietly return inside, shed his winter wear and ask where he’d be sleeping for the night.

“Tetsucchi?” he said when he noticed the shorter boy standing just outside, sounding startled. “Why are you up so early?”

 “Good morning, Ryouta-kun,” Kuroko greeted, then tilted his head sideways slightly. “I could say the same to you.”

“Toilet break,” Kise said, stifling a yawn. He shivered. “Ugh, it’s _colddddd_!”

“Indeed,” Kuroko agreed, rubbing his arms. His dread of having to leave the house was steadily increasing.

“So why are you awake? You going somewhere?” Kise asked again, nodding at the clothes Kuroko carried in his arms. The latter nodded, moving towards the now vacant bathroom.

“I’ve got work to attend later,” Kuroko said over his shoulder. When he saw Kise’s raised eyebrows, he added, “It’s a part-time delivery service.”

“But its freezing out there.” The blonde sounded incredulous.

“I’ll be wearing extra clothes, so don’t worry,” Kuroko told him, though it felt more like he was trying to convince himself. Kise was still pretty flustered over the matter.

“But what if you fall sick or something?” he cried, practically waving his arms in agitation. “Can’t you like, I don’t know - take the whole winter off or something?”

“I can’t afford to even if I want to.” The right corner of Kuroko’s lips was twitched upward in a wry smile. “I’ll be okay, Ryouta-kun. I’ve been on this job for a while now. I’m used to braving the weather.”

“But do you really have to?” Worry overflowed from Kise’s voice. “I mean isn’t there any other jobs that’s easier on you?”

Kuroko only shook his head. “There isn’t much people out there who’d hire a minor. My current one is the best I could ask for.”

“Why do you need to work, anyway? Are you guys short on money or something?” Kise asked, genuinely concerned. Kuroko pursed his lips. Of course. Kise had left when Matron’s financial complications aroused. He didn’t know about what’s going on yet.

“There are more children now compared to the time before you left, don’t you think?” Kuroko pointed out, and Kise nodded thoughtfully. “Matron doesn’t have enough to properly support all of them. So some of us are helping out.”

“You mean you’re not the only one?”

“Everyone above thirteen is working,” Kuroko told him, abruptly realizing that he’d _really_ be late if this conversation continued on. “Except for Shigehiro-kun - he helps take care of the house when the rest of us are out. Now please excuse me.”

He closed the door before Kise could make his reply. Kuroko didn’t mean to be rude or anything, but he really had no choice. He was afraid _he_ might be the one who’d be unwilling to let the subject drop if they kept on talking any longer. Once he was alone, Kuroko quickly cleaned up and changed; pulling on an extra thick t-shirt and a long-sleeved turtleneck sweater on top. He then donned a pair of jeans that was a little too long, so he reached down and folded the edges before straightening and walking out.

 Kise was nowhere in sight when he returned to the hallway. Kuroko didn’t put much thought into that as he headed down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab his usual breakfast. He placed the slice of toast in his mouth, and without even stopping to finish it, he briskly made his way to the entryway to fetch his coat, muffler and cap. He had just finished wearing his longest pair of socks and was struggling with his sneakers when he heard a voice behind him.

“Be careful out there, Tetsucchi.”

Kuroko paused and turned around, his gaze settling on the blonde teen that stood behind him. “I will, Ryouta-kun. Thank you.”

Kise smiled, but there was a look in his eyes that Kuroko could not recognize. “I guess this is goodbye again; since I’ll probably be gone by the time you’re back.”

“We’ll still see each other,” Kuroko stated simply, standing up. “So it’s not goodbye.”

The look in Kise’s eyes did not change when he shrugged. “I guess so.”

“See you again, Ryouta-kun.” Kuroko was surprised by the lack of emotion in his chest. He thought he’d at least feel a little unwilling to part with Kise, since it’s been such a long time since they last saw each other. But he felt nothing. No squeezes in his chest. No pain in his heart. Just a certain numbness. As if the winter cold had somehow managed to seep in all the way into his ribcage and froze everything there. “You take care too.”

“See you again.. huh?” Kise echoed, averting his gaze. When he looked up again, Kuroko realized there were tears in his eyes. “Yeah. Thanks, Tetsucchi.”

“You’re welcome.’ Kuroko smiled. He let himself be pulled into one last quick hug before moving towards the front door.

And with a final wave to his friend, he turned, and stepped outside.

**…**

Getting to work was another hell.

Despite wearing the thickest clothes he owned, Kuroko could still feel himself freezing to the core. He cycled as fast as he could; half to keep himself warm, half because he really was seven minutes late. He sped through the mostly empty streets, grateful to all the existing gods for the lack of vehicles in that point in time. He found himself glancing at his watch every single time he made a stop, feeling his heart pound harder at every passing second. Was he going to make it? Five minutes. The most amount of time he could afford to spare was five more minutes. More than that and he’ll just have to brace himself for a bad morning.

By the time he arrived at the familiar building, he was panting heavily and his legs were shaky from exertion. It seemed impossible to sweat on winters, but Kuroko could feel his inner clothes slightly damp as he got off his bicycle and made his way inside. He pulled his cap off and roughly raked his fingers through his hair while walking, attempting to dry off the moisture that’d gathered there in his haste to reach the office. Kuroko glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. He’d only used up three minutes of his five-minute quota. But he still had to hurry. Late is still late.  

“Kuroko-kun!”

Kuroko finished writing the last character of his name and looked up, turning toward the direction of the voice. His boss stood a little to his right, smiling with his usual jolliness. He motioned for the boy to follow him into his office, and bracing himself for the nagging he thought he was about to receive, Kuroko obliged, keeping his head hung low. But the chides never came. He watched in silence with raised eyebrows as the man bent under his table and reappeared several seconds later, holding a box in his hands.

“Disposable heat packs,” he said as an answer to the adolescent’s questioning look. “My wife’s got something to do today and the hot water bottle’s with her. So I got these instead.”

Kuroko stared at the box without a word. Now that he thought of it, he remembered thinking of buying some of those for himself and the others to keep warm, but he never had the chance. It either always slipped his mind, or he’d forget to bring some extra money with him during his grocery shopping. Kuroko abruptly realized that perhaps he’d been a little _too_ absentminded all this while.

“Thank you very much,” he told his employer as the man placed a white packet that stuck to his shirt on his back. His boss handed him another one and he positioned it over his belly. Once he pulled his garments back on properly again, the chemicals in the packets reacted, and he soon felt warm and toasty and ready to take on any temperature the weather might decide to throw at him. It didn’t seem possible, but the heat packs actually kept him warmer than the water bottle did.

“No problem!” The man grinned, patting him on the shoulder. “It’s my job to make sure my boys don’t die while working hard, eh?”

Kuroko laughed a little - mostly out of politeness - and let himself be steered back outside. He then hastily went on with the usual proceedings, and barely two minutes later, he was pedaling off again with the usual number of newspaper rolls secured to the back of his bike.

Kuroko wasn’t sure if it was because of the clothes he wore this time or if the heat packs are just that effective, but for the first time in a long while during winter, he wasn’t shivering. It was still cold, yes, but it wasn’t to the point of unbearable like how it usually was. Even his breathing felt a little easier, though Kuroko was sure it was just him. He ran his tongue across his dry, chapped lips. He was still breathing in the same dry, cool air the season had to offer. Funny how much difference a little rise in surrounding temperature could change his views toward the situation.

His optimism, however, did not last. With an abundance of time for him to think alone, his worries the night before slowly crept their way back into his mind. Daiki. Kuroko hadn’t heard nor called that name in a long, long while. To hear it again along with that piece of news, Kuroko surprisingly didn’t even feel disappointed in him. Instead, he was exasperated because what the _hell_ was he doing? He knew he’d always been troublemaker material from the start, but to actually be suspended from school? Just _what_ was the bloody idiot thinking? Kuroko couldn’t decide whether or not to wring his neck the next time he met him.

If he ever _did_ get to meet him.

He pulled his brakes upon reaching a traffic light, placing one leg on the ground to steady himself. Since he was at a four-way junction and there were two more turns to wait for, Kuroko took the chance to remove his hands from the handles and stuff them under his coat, placing them over the heating packet on his belly. An unintentional sigh of contentment escaped his lips as he slowly got to feel his fingers again. Despite everything that’s going on, having to actually feel warm really cheered him up, though he wasn’t very sure how that worked. At any rate, he made a mental note to himself to add a few boxes of heat packs to the shopping list when he got back. Those stuff were great.

His thoughts of his childhood friend returned as soon as Kuroko lost his distraction. He might be mad at him for being so darned reckless, but he was also dead worried about him. What happened to push him to become a delinquent of sorts? He was hot tempered and all, but when left alone, he was usually too lethargic to even _move_. During his years in the orphanage, he’d just lie around all day until Matron or Riko decide to get him to do things by literally kicking his ass. He shouldn’t even be bothered to be involved in this sort of things. He _shouldn’t_.

Or at least Kuroko thought he shouldn’t. So what could’ve happened? Was he not enjoying his new life that much? Were the people in his current school trying to pick on him? Was he doing it for attention? Was he trying to protect a friend? There were so many possibilities, and as noble as some as them were, Kuroko still couldn’t see the necessity for him to result to violence. What exactly was wrong?

Kuroko wasn’t going to deny having the urge to go see the guy right there and then to have a nice, long talk with him. He’d hear him out and try his best to soothe him. Ask him to stop being so reckless. But a sliver of doubt lingered at the edges of his thoughts. Would he still listen to him? He’d always been a needlessly stubborn guy and there was no telling if that trait of his had gotten any worse. Even if Kuroko were to talk to him about it, would he listen? Kuroko didn’t know, and that agitated him to no end.

He just didn’t know anymore.

**xXx**

“Hey, Kuroko..?”

Kagami had to wave his hand before the pale boy’s eyes to finally pull him out of his thoughts. Kuroko blinked a few times in temporary confusion before completely returning to reality. Kagami stared at him, his eyebrows slightly knitted.

“You okay there?” he asked, almost tentatively. “You’ve been spacing out a lot today.”

“I’m fine,” Kuroko replied, his voice still the usual monotone. He fixed his gaze on a spot on the table. “I’m just.. thinking about something.”

Kagami was quiet for a moment, his scarlet eyes averted as he contemplated on whether or not to say anything else. The words popped into this head, and without thinking it over, he blurted out; “I’m sure it’ll be okay, whatever it is.”

“Huh?” Kuroko looked up, blinking in slight confusion. Kagami felt himself abruptly blushing in self-consciousness. Okay, maybe what he said was a little too cheesy.

“T-That’s just how things are, right?” Kagami worked to refrain from stammering like a girl in a high school confession. “They’ll turn out in the end, somehow or another. So try not to worry about it too much.”

It took a while, but it finally dawned the shorter boy that the redhead was actually trying to cheer him up. Kuroko found it ironic, more than anything. He was being assured by a person who’s about to snap due to exam stress; who’s current predicament was so much more urgent than his own. Even with all the effort they’d put into the tutoring sessions, even if Kuroko’s question predictions were mostly spot on, Kagami would just be barely able to pass. That was all he needed, really. He only needed to pass. But to barely scrape through, it was dangerous. He could still lose marks from careless mistakes and the like. No, barely passing was just too risky.

“Thank you, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko told him with a soft smile before moving to stand up. “Excuse me for a moment.”

 He hurried off and returned barely a minute later, holding something in his hands. When Kuroko uncurled his fingers as he held the item out to him, Kagami realized it was a pencil; the wooden, traditional hexagonal type and not a mechanical one. The numbers one to six were written on each side at the blunt end, and a single phrase was written along the length of the first side. Kagami couldn’t really make out what it said thanks to the tiny writing and complicated kanji.

“It’s a rolling pencil,” Kuroko explained as Kagami studied it in his hands. “It’ll help when you’re doing multiple choice questions.”

“So.. I’m just supposed to roll it?” Kagami hoped this wasn’t one of the ‘emergency measures’ Kuroko had mentioned earlier. He had absolutely no luck in this kind of things.

“Yes.” Kuroko didn’t sound like he was going to offer anything else. “An old friend gave this to me a while ago as a ‘last resort’, as he’d put it. I’ve only tried it out a few times myself and I know it doesn’t look like much, but it works.”

“..Okayyy.” Kagami reluctantly slipped the stationery into his pencil case for safe keeping. “Thanks, I guess.”

Kuroko nodded, and Kagami silently went back to work. Everything felt almost too normal to Kagami, as if there was still a long way to go until his exams start and not a little over two days. It felt like just another day of tutoring; him doing the things he was assigned to while sitting across his blue-haired tutor. The atmosphere, the mood - everything felt familiar now. Kagami felt surprisingly calm for someone who’s probably about to shed tears before a set of paper in about a couple of days’ time. He figured he’d just crossed his own stress limit or something. He’d probably gotten so used to the pressure that he simply couldn’t feel it anymore.

“I don’t care if you’re going to freeze to death on the way home tonight, but you are joining us for dinner.”

Kagami paused from stuffing his things into his bag and tilted his head toward the voice, an eyebrow raised. His lesson was over. “Hah?”

“Matron’s orders,” Ogiwara told him, pointing his thumb over his shoulder and at the kitchen. “It’s your final lesson with Tetsuya, right? So probably be the last time you’ll have dinner with us too.” He heaved a soft sigh and crossed his arms. A crooked smile made its way to his lips. “Or at least the last time in a long while. But anyway, Matron insists you stay and eat first before you leave.”

Kagami wasn’t sure what happened, but the thought of having to part from Matron’s delicious cooking suddenly made his heart sting. Apparently, four days was all it took for him to grow so dangerously attached to everything in the orphanage. He realized he was actually going to miss it a lot when he left. The noise of the rowdy orphans, the warmth of having so many people around, the feeling of being spoiled by someone - everything suddenly seemed so precious. His first experiences of being accepted and treated like family; they were now like treasures to him, something he’d hold close to his heart. Kagami firmly reminded himself to thank every single one of them later before he goes on his way. He owes them too much.

He owes them for helping to take away his feelings of loneliness, even for a while.

There was no feeling of finality even during dinner. Everyone was loud and lively as usual; and Kagami was glad. If they made everything seem as if it was really his last, Kagami was honestly afraid he’d end up losing half his manliness by the time he leaves to go home. He forced himself to push the thoughts out of his mind as he dug in with everyone else, determined not to let his own stupid nostalgia ruin his appetite. His stomach agreed, urging him to eat more and quench his growing hunger. Matron’s food really were something.

The moment was great when it lasted. Kagami soon found himself standing before his tutor and the matron of the house, bowing low.

“Thank you very much for everything,” he said with all the sincerity he could muster. It wasn’t hard. He really was grateful for everything they’d done for him.

“It was a pleasure to have you here, Kagami-kun,” Matron told him once he’d straightened up, a warm, motherly smile spread across her features. She reached out, and held both his hands in hers. “Best of luck for your exams, okay?”

“Y-Yes!” Kagami nodded with fervor, and the lady’s eyes brightened just a little more.

“Spend the weekend well, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko told him as they trudged to the entryway together. “It won’t hurt to do a little more revision while you still can.” He paused for a moment, and Kagami turned to look at him, wondering what was with the moment of hesitance.

“And I’m sorry I can’t help you any more than this,” Kuroko finally said, his gaze flickered sideways. Kagami couldn’t help snorting at the ridicule.

“Idiot,” he deadpanned, flicking a finger across the smaller boy’s forehead. Kuroko winced from the sudden assault. “You’ve done plenty already. I can’t thank you enough.”

Kagami finished putting on his shoes, and stood up, readjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. “Well then. I’ll see you guys around,” he said, heading to the front door.

“Do your best, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko spoke up again just before he stepped outside into the darkness. “Don’t let our efforts go to waste.”

Kagami glanced over his shoulder, and smiled. “I won’t,” he promised.

And he disappeared with a click from the closed door.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //whispers no its not over he'll come back don't freak out just yet //shot


	8. Chapter 8

Studying alone in his home library for hours on end was more boring that he thought.

Kagami leaned back against his chair and heaved a loud, weary sigh. His books and stationery were sprawled all over across the table before him. He stared at them in growing disgust before averting his attention, craning his neck to look out the nearest window. There was still a light snowfall, so the streets were still blanketed with a thin sheet of white. The amount of snow was relatively small compared to that back in the States, but it was still very beautiful. Unlike in America, the snow in Japan gave off this calming sense of tranquility. It felt as if the world was at a standstill, holding its breath.

Kagami let himself daydream for a little while more before blinking back to reality. He'd been trying to self study in English for the last two hours now, the he couldn't exactly deem his efforts productive. His was fluent in speaking the language, of course, but a grammar and vocabulary test? Not so good. He might still be able to scrape through grammar, but vocab was out of the list. He absolutely sucked at translating.

Kagami let out a soft grunt before standing up, stretching his stiff back. He was so done with all this revision shit. He figured some fresh air in his system would help renew his concentration. So he carelessly gathered his books back in a pile to make them look at least  _slightly_  tidier, repositioned the chair he'd used, and headed out to the hallway.

The house was quiet, as usual. Kagami rubbed his arms as he walked, unimpressed by the steadily dropping temperature. There was a built-in heater inside the library since his father used the place often too, so it'd been nice and warm when he was inside. The abrupt change in temperature brought goosebumps to his skin, but Kagami could already feel his mood lifting. He found himself looking forward to going outside with childish anticipation.

He hurried back to his room to retrieve his jacket, making sure to tip-toe as he passed his father's office in case he heard him and took the time to chide his 'unrefined' walking habits again. Really, Kagami couldn't care less if he'd never be a ninja, but his father made it look as if his loud footsteps and strides would one day kill him. He could never get him. It wasn't as if he was in an official event or anything where almost  _everyone's_  attention was on him. Kagami wanted to do things as he liked, and he wasn't going to let his father stop him.

Most of the time, anyway.

The air was dry and a slight breeze was blowing when Kagami exited his house, much to his delight. Kagami stood still and closed his eyes for a moment, letting the cold, refreshing wind caress his cheeks. He felt so much better already, but there was still something missing. After not attending basketball practice for so long, he felt as if he now had too much energy to spare. His body itched to move, and his mind made no attempts to hold it back. Doing some basic warm-ups, he jogged over to the gates, and giving the excuse of having to go pick something up from the bookstore when he was stopped by the gardener, he slipped outside.

Running down the sidewalk with the wind raking through his hair had never been so contenting. His heart thumped loudly in his ears and adrenaline rushed through his veins. Kagami missed this sensation. It'd only been a week, but he already felt badly out of shape. He kept his pace for a mile or so before finally slowing down, out of breath. He leaned against a wall as he tried to regain his breath, casting his gaze around to pinpoint his current location. Just like the morning when he'd sneaked out of the house, he hadn't any destination in mind when he starting running. Kagami had once again let his legs move by their own, and to his relief this time, he wasn't lost. He was pretty far away from home, but he could still recognize the place. He wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or he was really subconsciously thinking about it, but he'd ended up pretty close to the town area with the shops and all. He'd only need to go a little further to reach the bookstore which he'd frequently visited the past few days to get the revision books Kuroko recommended.

Kagami waited until his breathing had regained its normal rhythm before setting off again, turning left at the junction instead of going straight where the buildings were. He ended up jogging into an even quieter lane, with a surprisingly empty park to his left and the back of a row of houses to his right. It wasn't that early in the morning and he'd expected to see some people playing with the snow since it's a Saturday and all, but he seemed to be alone. Except for an occasional passing car, the place was as silent as it can be. Over the constant scraping of his sneakers against the patches of snow on the gravel ground, he could hear birds chirping in the distance. The weather was fine and the air was fresh. Yeah, definitely better than being cooped up in the library.

Kagami ran all the way to the other end of the lane before making a hundred-eighty turn, backtracking. It hurt to pant too hard, but Kagami ignored the sting in his throat as he jogged back the way he came from. The lack of oxygen intake made him slightly lightheaded, but the cold air around him promptly made him better. He didn't know when it started, but halfway through, Kagami realized he was smiling with satisfaction. Compared to sitting quietly on one spot, he really, really loved to move around. In fact, he began to suspect he was hyperactive, but he didn't put much thought into that. Trivial things like that didn't bother him.

But what really  _did_  bother him was something he really didn't expect he'd be so concerned for. During his final tutoring lesson the day before, Kuroko had been obviously spacing out more than usual. Kagami knew he was utterly exhausted from his busy schedule like always, but for some reason or another, he could sense that something was wrong; something that wouldn't stop bothering the pale, blue-haired guy. For as long as he knew him (which, actually wasn't  _that_  long but whatever) Kuroko had never openly daydreamed while teaching him. He'd try hard to muster his awareness until the very last minute. But it was different this time. Kuroko had stared so intently into blank space that Kagami had to give up calling him a few times.

Kagami couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. What was it that could've required the attention of his thoughts so much that he'd actually neglected his self-proclaimed responsibility? Kagami didn't know much, but he had his suspicions. He'd seen the look in Kuroko's eyes when Kise showed up at the orphanage. The former might be stoic most of the time, but Kagami made an accidental discovery that the one way to figure what he was thinking was by studying his eyes. Even the slightest sparkle in them seemed to be able to tell so much. Kagami wasn't sure how he knew this.

The look in his eyes yesterday was similar to the one involving Kise, but also very different. There was the same longing in them, the same anxiety, but that was about it. Kagami could only tell he was very worried about something - or  _someone_. He knew he had no rights to butt into people's business, but he had his reasons. He wanted to help if he could. He wanted to repay the favor Kuroko did for him. Tutoring him shouldn't have been easy. He wanted to repay him for all the effort he'd spent on him.

_That's it,_  Kagami decided, turning back into the road that would lead him home. When he goes to return that rolling pencil, he'll try his luck.

He'll see if he could help in any way to wipe that troubled look off his eyes once and for all.

**xXx**

Kuroko waited as his companion locked the front door before heading over to fetch his bicycle.

He'd usually walk when it came to grocery shopping, but it was an emergency. They'd ran out of rice and Matron was positively freaking out because if there's no rice there's no dinner and if there's no dinner the younger ones would complain. And if the younger ones starting complaining, it was the  _end_. Almost nothing could stop them, and the noise they made was enough to drive anyone crazy.

So Kuroko volunteered to go. He was free, and for once he wasn't tired after taking a day off from work and not having to wake up at the wee hours of the morning to cycle all around town. He'd slept so soundly that he almost didn't wake up in time for school, in fact. Apparently, an anonymous sender had banked in quite a sum of money into Matron's account a couple of days back and, by  _quite_  a large sum it meant enough to cover their expenses for a whole month or even more. Matron had been really confused at first, thinking it was a mistake or something. But when she asked the bank clerks, they told her the sender had clearly stated which account to make the transfer to. Despite her pesters, they'd refused to reveal the sender's identity.

Nothing else was mentioned, but Kuroko could already guess with utmost confidence just who the person was. As generous as some donors were, there had never been a case where so much was given to them. Not once in all these years Kuroko had lived in the orphanage. But to receive that just a few days after  _he_  left, Kuroko was pretty sure. There was only one person he knew who had enough and cared about the place enough to do such a thing.

Kise Ryouta. The sender was probably him.

Kuroko thought he was silly, really. There wasn't the need for him to do that. Kuroko and the others were doing just fine helping Matron support the family. There was enough to spend and all. There wasn't a need for him to spend his hard-earned cash on them when he was no longer involved in their problems. Kise didn't need to do what he did.

"Tetsuya?"

Kuroko blinked back to reality, abruptly realizing that he'd been standing frozen with his hands on the handles of his bicycle for probably a while now. He quickly murmured his apologies before moving to wheel his bike out onto the pavement on the other side of the gate. His companion only laughed gently, following suit.

The one accompanying him to the store was Teppei this time. Ogiwara was busy doing other chores, so Teppei had offered to go in his stead. His basketball club at school was having a break from training that day, and he had the whole afternoon off with nothing to do - or so he claimed. Kuroko didn't mind the change one bit. Like everyone else, he liked Teppei a lot. He was like this big teddy bear that could be ridiculously childish at times yet very dependable when he needed to be. He was like the ideal big brother, really.

"You ready?" Teppei asked once Kuroko had successfully mounted his bike. He broke into a grin when the latter nodded his confirmation. "Let's go, then!"

The pair cycled their way to their destination in silence, wary of the traffic around them. There weren't that many cars around them, but they still had to be careful. As he pedaled on, Kuroko subconsciously wondered how Kagami was doing. It was his third day of exams and if Kuroko didn't remember wrongly, he was having several tests on Science subjects that day. He hoped Kagami wasn't freaking out. As modest as he tried to be about the matter, they'd really worked hard during all those extra lessons, and it would really be a waste if the redhead forgot everything now.

He mustn't forget everything now.

"Umm Teppei nii-san?" Kuroko called out while he slowly pressed his fingers against the brakes of his bicycle. He received a questioning hum as a response. "We're here already so.."

Teppei came to such an abrupt break, he had to use his legs to support himself and prevent from falling. He turned and looked over his shoulder, eyes wide, eyebrows raised. "So fast?" he asked, surprised.

"Coming here by bike is a lot quicker," Kuroko explained as the older boy reversed. They both got off their bicycles and wheeled them over to the prepared stands. "We usually walk here though."

"I see," Teppei said, straightening up after chaining his bike in place. Standing side by side, he was taller than Kuroko by more than a head, beating Kagami and Ogiwara by an inch or so. "So we just go in and get the stuff on the list?"

"Yes," Kuroko said, securing his bike as well. Teppei let out a short laugh.

"Sounds easy enough," he breathed, and the younger teen only shrugged, a slight smile gracing his features.

"It  _is_  easy," he said, and they both stepped into the store without another comment.

Teppei later insisted for them to browse through the aisles together, though he did not state his reasons. Kuroko thought he was just worried of getting lost at first, since it was a pretty spacey place and all (the store was a mini market and not one of those shop-lots), but he abandoned the idea. Teppei wasn't one to be afraid of getting lost. Besides, they had cellphones on them and could just give each other a call if it ever came to that.

Teppei wasn't afraid of them becoming separated, but Kuroko didn't ask. The older boy could simply be thinking of just spending some quality time together. Kuroko had to admit, the two of them were really close back too when they were younger, but time had gradually created a small rift between them. Thanks to after-school activities, Teppei and a few others were rarely home until late in the evening. They still hang out together in the living room after dinner and all, but everyone was already exhausted by then, and there wasn't much they could do. A lot of them had jobs during the weekends too, which didn't exactly make anything better.

"I heard everything from Shige," Teppei spoke up as they headed toward the rice section. When he received a confused look from the other boy, he added, almost reluctantly; "You know, about Daiki."

Kuroko said nothing, only continued walking silently. He'd thought so much about the matter that he'd given up because no matter what idea he came up with, nothing seemed to be able to work. His schedule refused to allow any flexibility. Kise had mailed him the school location and all, and Kuroko wasn't sure if he'd be able to spend so much just to go see him. He didn't have his cellphone number and address so there was no way for them to communicate unless they met each other.

Which brought him back to the first two problems.

"Hey, you don't need to keep it all to yourself," Teppei continued despite Kuroko's lack of response. His expression was serious, the usual light mood around him gone. "Let us help too. We'll talk to everyone about it and see how it'll go."

Kuroko was still silent, staring at the assortment of packaging before him. He kept quiet long enough for Teppei to start expecting him to ignore the question all together. "Teppei nii-san?"

The boy in question perked up. "Y-Yeah?"

Kuroko bent over, and hefted a packet of rice grains into his arms. "Can you help me carry two of these?"

So he was not going to answer after all, huh? Teppei heaved a soft sigh, deciding that there was no helping it. Kuroko was as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be. Instead of demanding to stay on topic, Teppei decided to just let his habitual lopsided smile make its way back to his face. "Yes, yes."

"Thank you."

They gathered several other things written on the list (including several boxes of disposable heat packs; Kuroko made sure he remembered this time), and before they went to the counter to make their payment, Teppei requested for a quick detour. Raising an eyebrow, Kuroko followed the brunette's lead, his gaze rising to the sign hanging above them. They were going to the sweets section.

"Which one do you think everyone back home would like best?" Teppei asked once they'd come to a stop. An impressive collection of sweets and chocolates of different types and brands were arranged on the rack both in front and behind them. Kuroko shot his companion an odd look, and Teppei only widened his grin.

"I just thought it's been a while since we snacked on sweets and stuff," he said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. "And I've got a little bit of extra money on me today, so yeah. Go ahead and pick a few."

"Shouldn't you be the one picking since you're the one treating?" Kuroko inquired, his eyebrows knit slightly and his head tilted to the side.

" _Ahhh_  I'm not sure everyone would like my tastes in sweets," Teppei admitted. Kuroko had no other comments, moving to grab a couple of random packets from the rack. Once that was done, the pair did one last quick check, and headed to pay for their purchase.

As they loaded the groceries onto their bikes, a peculiar sound reached Kuroko's ears; one he was not very familiar with. It sounded a little high pitched - something like a whine. He looked up and casted his gaze around, wondering what was the source of it. If he wasn't mistaken, it came from somewhere further at the back..

"Tetsuya? What's wrong?"

Kuroko stopped in his tracks, his attention trained on the ground, his eyebrows raised high. Teppei, confused by the flow of events, walked over and joined the shorter boy, following his line of sight.

"What-" he started, then stopped abruptly when he saw just what the shorter was looking at. "Oh."

**xXx**

It was a little more than a week before Kagami visited the orphanage again.

Exams had did nothing less than destroying three quarters of his soul. Kagami had felt so utterly empty after the last paper that he swore never to touch a pen or pencil again for a long, long while if he could help it. But well, it's all over and that's that. He'd done all he could - or at least he  _hoped_  he had - and all that's left was to wait for the results. Kagami forced himself to decide that he'd accept whatever results he'd end up with; good or bad.

After getting used to the warm, lively environment of the orphanage, it took him a while to get himself used to the silence of his own home again. The first few days after he stopped going, his house felt unusually huge; as if he'd shrunk back to his height when he was a kid. So he discovered the down sides of socializing: it made you remember the feelings of loneliness that you'd worked so hard to ignore. His heart felt the long forgotten sting once more, and it hurt more than he was willing to admit.

Kagami shook his head to break out of his reverie as he approached his destination. It was only a week or so, but he was starting to actually  _miss_  the place. He found himself wondering how everyone was doing there. If nothing was going on, Kagami guess it'd be another lazy afternoon for them. The kids would be gathered around the kotatsu and heater, making as little movements as possible and Matron would be in the kitchen cooking dinner like she always did at this point in time. Kagami caught himself in the middle of his train of thoughts, and he resisted the urge to laugh at his own ridicule. He'd only been gone for a few  _days_ , not a few  _years_.

Contrary to his earlier expectations, however, Kagami discovered that it was pretty noisy inside once he came to a stop at the front door. He raised his eyebrows as he stared stupidly at the thick wooden panel, his hand hovering just an inch above the doorbell. He could hear a mix of gleeful laughter and playful screaming coming from the other side. He was about to press the button to announce his presence when he heard it. His hand froze and his shoulders stiffened because no no  _no_  please don't let that be what he thought it was. But before he could convince himself completely that he'd only imagined it and nothing more, the sound came again, and this time, Kagami could feel himself starting to break out in cold sweat. There was no mistake. What he heard had been the real deal.

That was a dog barking.

Kagami had had enough of dogs to last him a lifetime. Sure, they were great creatures and were known as men's best friends and all that, but Kagami absolutely hated them. Or, to be more exact, he was  _terrified_  of them. He had some pretty traumatic experiences that included the throwing away of his pride as a man, a pack of very large, very scary dogs, a pair of ripped pants, and a very, very sore butt.

But no, he couldn't let that stop him now. Not after coming so far. He had to properly thank them and return that pencil. Or else his conscience would bother him for the rest of his life. So he took in a deep breath, and steeling his nerves, he pushed the doorbell.

Time seemed to trickle on as he waited. Kagami found himself unable to stay still; shifting restlessly from foot to foot. The volume of noise inside didn't sound like it'd toned down, so he wasn't sure if they'd heard him or not. He was just about to ring the bell again when he finally heard the thuds of footsteps approaching. And in less than three seconds, the door opened, and a familiar face peeked out.

"Oh, hey!" Ogiwara said when he saw him, a grin spreading over his lips. Either he was in a really great mood, or he sounded more enthusiastic on seeing Kagami than usual. He stepped back and opened the door completely, leaning sideways against the wooden frame. "What brings you here?"

"Ah, umm-" Kagami's voice died in his throat as soon as he spotted the blur of black fur running towards them. Oh no. Not now. No no no no no-

"Whoop." Ogiwara calmly bent down and caught the squirming bundle of fur in his hands before it got past his legs. He adjusted his hold and cradled the black and white puppy in his arms. "Oh, no you don't," he chided lightly, tickling its belly. "No running out on  _my_  watch."

The little husky barked and swatted playfully at his fingers in response, and Ogiwara chuckled. The raven then looked up, remembering Kagami's presence, and his eyebrows immediately shot up. Kagami had taken quite a number of steps back, putting a small distance between them. His arms were raised as if defending himself, and his face was contorted with fear. Ogiwara blinked blankly at the sight before him, his brain struggling to process what he saw. When he spoke up, he could barely keep the snort from his voice. "What, you afraid of this lil' guy?"

"W-Well," Kagami swallowed, reluctantly lowering his hands by a couple of inches. His voice was an octave higher than usual. "Kinda."

"Seriously? But he's so cute!" Ogiwara held up the puppy, and Kagami flinched. He prayed to all the existing gods that he wouldn't accidentally release it. Pride be damned; he was probably going to let out some not so manly screams if that thing came after him. Ogiwara must've seen just how genuinely scared he was because he retracted his hands and returned to cradling the puppy, keeping a tight grip on it so it wouldn't trash its way off.

"I'm guessing you're here to see Tetsuya," he said, and Kagami nodded silently. He looked over his shoulder and called out; "Heyyy, Tetsuya! Kagami's here!" He turned back to the redhead right after. "So you want to come in?"

"I think I'll be alright out here," Kagami replied, looking like he had no intention at all to leave his spot. "You know,  _away_  from the dog."

Ogiwara gave a shrug like,  _suit yourself_ , before turning around and nearly bumping into the newly arrived Kuroko. He quickly stammered an apology and disappeared back inside, the shorter boy taking his place at the door. Kuroko stared at the still slightly cowering Kagami, blinking blankly. "Isn't it cold out there?" was the first thing he asked and Kagami wanted to facepalm because really? Did it look like it was  _springtime_  out there?

"It is," Kagami said with a sigh, and dared himself to hold on to the hope that the dog was safely kept inside and not running around wild by stepping closer to the orphanage entrance.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" Kuroko asked again, his voice tinged with a little concern. He didn't want the taller boy to start falling sick anytime soon.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm just here for this anyway," Kagami said, reaching into his bag to retrieved the borrowed item. He held out the pencil. "Here. Thanks for this."

Kuroko took the stationery from his hand. "You're welcome. How was your exams, anyway?"

"Not too bad, I guess," Kagami admitted, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "It didn't kill me and all, so yeah."

"Did this help?" Kuroko looked at his hand, halfheartedly weighing the item he held.

"Don't know. We're only getting our results the day after tomorrow."

"I see."

There was a short moment of awkward silence as Kagami contemplated on whether or not to blurt out the next thing in his mind. He had been really determined to do it earlier, but now that he was face to face with the guy, it seemed pretty embarrassing. But hey, when was he not completely mortified? He'd swallowed his pride plenty of times before. He could do it again.

"T-Thanks again," he said, casting his gaze downwards as he tried his best to refrain from stammering. "For all you've done."

Kuroko's deadpanned tone didn't change. "You're welcome, Kagami-kun."

"And - uh - is there - um-" Kagami made himself take a deep breath before looking up and trying again. "Is there anything I can do for you in return?"

"You don't have to," Kuroko stated simply.

"I  _want_  to," Kagami insisted, ready for this. He'd expected the guy to reject his offer flat out before he'd even reached the place. "You've done me a pretty huge favor, and I refuse to leave that unpaid."

"I agreed to tutor you without expecting anything in return," Kuroko said carefully, sounding guarded. "So there's no need for you to think that far."

"But there must be  _something_." Kagami stared right at those twin pools of blue, daring the shorter boy to deny it. He tried to tell him through their gaze. He knew he was still troubled with something. He knew he needed help. He knew he could help in some way or another. He knew just how badly he wanted to ask, and how he could not bring himself to because it was his problem and  _his_  alone. He knew, and he wanted to aid him in whatever way he could.

"It's none of your concern," Kuroko said, his voice so soft it could've been a whisper. He took a step back - ready to slam the door shut if necessary, Kagami noticed. "I appreciate it, Kagami-kun. But I'm sorry."

Kagami wasn't very good at reading moods, but even he could sense that this was going to get messy if it continued. He had no choice. As much as it was going to bother him, he had to let it go. He figured if he pressured Kuroko any more, the guy would just quietly close the door and refuse to speak to him for the rest of his life. He shouldn't really care about that, but still..

"Wait," Kagami called out before Kuroko could return inside. The latter stopped, reluctantly turning to look over his shoulder. "Just.. keep my number, okay? Call me if you ever need me for anything."

_Damn_ , that sounded weird, but Kagami managed to keep a straight face.

"I will," Kuroko said after a millisecond pause. "Thank you."

And without another word, he backed inside, and shut the door.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys sorry for another delayed update wow f;askdjf;asd
> 
> i was working one something else and i was kinda stuck at one point so yeahhh ;u;. im sorryyyy
> 
> anyway, my holidays are almost over and I'll be starting school again in about a week so the future chappies would also take some time to be planned out and written since I'm gonna be REALLY busy ugh
> 
> on the side note, Merry Christmas everyone!

Kuroko stared at the screen of his phone, breathing a long, weary sigh.

He’d been doing that a lot these days; sighing. He tilted his head up and took in a deep breath, letting the winter breeze help clear his mind. He’d been thinking so much lately that he’d started developing random pangs of headaches every now and then. And they usually hurt a lot; so much so that he’d have to lie down for a while, or take a break in someplace quite until the pain faded. It’d always feel as if his brain was being repeatedly stabbed with red-hot iron spikes. It was really, _really_ annoying.

The temperature had finally stopped dropping now, but Kuroko barely even noticed the cold anymore; half of it thanks to the heat packs he’d been using (they were so effective it was almost scary), half of it because he’d been constantly moving around to take his mind off the problems that’d been haunting him since forever. He still wasn’t sure what he should do. Ogiwara had offered to find a job for real so they could share their expenses by going together, but Kuroko wasn’t exactly keen on making him spend his hard-earned money on his own selfish desires. He couldn’t bother Matron or the other older orphans too, since they were all busy as they were already.

He’d thought of going alone for so many times, he’d lost count. The same thought would always resurface no matter how hard he tried to push it back down. What if he got lost? What if he couldn’t come back? Going to another town would still be fine with him, but another _prefecture_? He didn’t have the confidence. He wanted - _needed_ someone to accompany him. But who would he dare to ask? Who wouldn’t he bother if he asked? There were numerous attempts by him to simply forget about it and go on with life. That’d no doubt save him of the troubles and headaches. Only he hadn’t succeeded once. He couldn’t do it; couldn’t bring himself to just leave the subject alone because it was _him_ they were talking about. _Daiki_.

There was _one_ person he could always ask, and he knew that. Still, he was reluctant. Did he really have the right to drag him into his personal problems? Then again, he could always just talk to him, right? He could just ask him to listen and perhaps give him some opinions on the matter or something, right? He could. And he felt like he needed to. He needed someone to listen to him rant on and on without telling him that they’d go with him because Daiki wasn’t only his friend. Or else he’d simply snap one of these days.

Kagami had told him to give him a call if he needed something from him. Kuroko knew he was only thinking of returning the favor, but truthfully, there was no need. Because the whole reason he agreed on tutoring him in the first place was because he wanted to repay him for that one cup of hot chocolate all those weeks ago. He agreed to help as thanks for not letting him freeze to death on that one morning. It might not seem like much to the redhead, but to Kuroko, he’d practically saved his life. That was certainly something worth thanking him for.

If only what he was about to ask of him now wasn’t as simple as that. He was about to ask him if he could share his burden with him. He was about to ask him to understand him, to give him suggestions on what he should do.

But Kuroko figured that if this kept going on, he was seriously going to go mad. He’s start frothing in the mouth and scream out of nowhere. He’d attempt to rip his hair out and throw a fit. He might even fetch a knife from the kitchen and start stabbing the thing nearest to him, and he didn’t want that. Falling into insanity sounded extremely tempting, but he had to pass. He couldn’t go crazy yet. He couldn’t afford to.

Which left him one thing to do. _We’re just going to talk_ , he told himself firmly. He wouldn’t ask for anything else. Just talking was enough. It’s more than enough.

His fingers moved across the keypad, and he rapidly typed a few words into the blank draft he’d selected after clicking on Kagami’s contact. He reread it twice before steeling his nerves, and pressed send.

This was it. He’d done it. He was going to ask a stranger for help.

**xXx**

After not having practice for two weeks, everything hurt.

Their coach had miraculously allowed them to carry out a slightly less burdening regimen, but even that took a painful toll on Kagami’s body. It was _crazy_ ; how much difference a fortnight could make. Kagami could usually survive the normal training with just sores all over. Now he felt like his limbs were being char-broiled over slow flame even after having finished for an hour or so. He placed his hand on his shoulder and  flexed his neck as he walked toward the school gates. He felt like an old man for aching all over like that.

Ignoring the stubborn tension in his muscles, he reached to fish out his phone from his bag. Without slowing down his already careful pace, he checked the message his mailbox again, confirming the time and place. He was asked to meet him after practice at the bus stop near his home, and he was to reply to his message to clarify if he was going or not. Kagami figured he had some time in his hands and all, so why not. Besides, he was the one who’d told Kuroko to call if he needed anything. Maybe he was reconsidering the favor thing after all, as impossible as that sounded.

Kagami decided not to dwell too much on that, focusing on getting to the bus stop instead. He’d have to use the usual route, then he’d have to take a detour to the park instead of walking straight home. It seemed simple enough when he went over it in his mind, but he still had to be careful. He didn’t want to make the trip twice, and he wasn’t exactly the type to make people wait, either. He might not look like it, but he valued at least _some_ common courtesy.

He crossed his arms and tucked his hands in the folds, casting his gaze skywards. He’d always found one thing very queer. In the limited number of books he’d read when he was younger, winters had always been described as monochromatic; turning everything including the sky nothing but colors of black, gray and white. It did seem true sometimes back when he was still living in the States, but in Japan, it was a little different; probably because it didn’t snow as hard there as it did over there. The sky wasn’t a depressing gray, but a bright blue like how it was during every other season of the year when it was daytime. It snowed every now and then, but because of the light fall, certain trees could still bloom, as if trying to prevent the world from being dyed white completely.

But he guessed it was also because he used to live in the city and was surrounded by nothing but glass and concrete that he had a general assumption of winters being colorless. He had to admit: he’d never realized just how congested it’d felt like living in a metropolis until he moved to a quiet countryside in Japan; or how fresh air really smelled like, or how great it felt not to be surrounded by skyscrapers wherever he went. _Huh_. Now that he was in this line of thought, he wondered if those were the exact reasons why his dad decided to return to their motherland even though he was doing so well over there.

Kagami continued walking on, musing on random, meaningless matters all the while. What would he be having for dinner tonight? When would it start getting warmer again? An abrupt thought popped up in his mind. Wait. He got his results this morning, didn’t he? That’s right. Since he was going to see Kuroko anyway, he might as well tell him. He felt his heart beat a little faster as he wondered how the latter would react when he broke the news to him. He was strangely excited about this.

 He reached the junction in which he was usually supposed to turn right into to reach his home, and walked straight ahead. It was only around five, but the sun had already almost completely set. As much as he liked the sight of sunrise, Kagami preferred sunsets more. The splash of purple, orange and yellow on the blue background was simply breathtaking, really.

He spotted a figure at the bus stop as he was approaching, and he squinted, unable to identify who it was exactly since it was dark and all. He hoped it was the person he was expecting and not someone - or _something_ \- else. He knew it was a public place and all, but he figured that if they were to start some sort of private conversation, having a  stranger there _would_ be a little awkward. Well, whatever. He shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his pants, and kept walking.

He was quite relieved yet distressed by the turn of events that he’d ended up in later. The person waiting for him at the stop was indeed Kuroko, but he wasn’t alone. Curled up snugly on his lap, was a familiar ball of black fur. _Uh-oh._ Kagami suddenly felt like courtesy could roll off a cliff for all he cared. Not with _that_ right there. When he was within a two meter distance, he shortened his strides to an inch at the time, going as close to the other boy as he dared. Kuroko - who, had been staring blankly ahead - noticed him from the corner of his eye, and turned.

“Kagami-kun..?” Seeing his weird behavior, his greeting ended up sounding somewhat like at question. “Is something wrong?”

“Ah - It’s just- Uh-“ Kagami swallowed once, and pointed at the bundle of fur. “He’s asleep, right?”

As if on cue, the puppy lifted his head, and stared directly at him. Kagami visibly flinched back, and Kuroko raised an eyebrow at his reaction.

“He’s not going to bite you,” he assured, but the redhead didn’t seem convinced. He moved to securely grasp the puppy in his hands before it could leap off him and run off. It would be difficult to chase him down and find him again in the dark if that happened. Besides, he didn’t really want to scare off Kagami. The guy already looked like he was ready to sprint off any moment.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let him go,” he said, and with one hand still firmly holding the puppy in place, he patted the empty space beside him. “Come and sit down. It’s difficult to talk with you so far away.”

Kagami was extremely reluctant to move any closer, but he managed to swallow down his fear, and tentatively sat down next to the blue haired boy. He tried his best to ignore the fact that the dog was just several centimeters away from him and could easily jump over and attack him when he wanted.

“Why are you so scared of Nigou anyway?”

_Nigou_? Kagami shot the other boy a confused look, and the latter nodded at the bundle he was holding. Okay. So they even gave it a strange name. Okay. Not judging.

“I got bitten once back when I was living in the States,” he told him, very aware that the dog was still eyeing him intently. _Please stop staring at me like that. Please_. “I’ve been afraid of dogs since then.”

“I see,” Kuroko said in understanding, though he still didn’t look like he was about to do anything about the puppy on his lap. “But Nigou’s not like them.”

“Still.”

“He’s harmless,” Kuroko insisted, and before Kagami could react, he lifted the bundle of fur in his hands, and brought it closer him. “Just _look_ at him.”

“B-Bastard!” Kagami stammered as he hastily scooted away from the proximity of those paws. His heart was beating a million miles per minute. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!”

Judging from his lack of response, Kagami suspected he was. He was just about to start whimpering in a not-very manly way when Kuroko repositioned the puppy on his lap with both his hands wrapped around its belly. The shorter boy whispered to his pet to stay still, and to Kagami’s surprise, it really did. When Kuroko looked up at his companion again, all the amusement were gone from his eyes, replaced by the weary seriousness Kagami had seen before during the previous few times he saw him.

“Jokes aside,” Kuroko started, holding the redhead’s gaze as he spoke. “I should get to the point of calling you here before it gets too late.”

Kagami involuntarily gulped, slowly working up the courage to stop cringing away. “Y-Yeah.”

Kuroko then broke eye-contact, pursing his lips as he worked to choose his words properly. There was a stretch of silence before he spoke again. “Can you just.. listen to what I have to say?”

 “Well, isn’t that the whole point I’m here?” Kagami exhaled, allowing himself to relax his muscles because they were starting to hurt again with him tensing up like that. He hung on to the hope of not being assaulted by the dog.

“I suppose so,” Kuroko agreed, and took in a deep breath before continuing. “It’s about a friend of mine. His name is Daiki.”

And he proceeded to tell him about what’d happened to him and what he wanted to do and how he’d been bothered about the matter non-stop for so long that he felt like he was going crazy. He left out most of the details at first, but as he kept talking, the words just started tumbling out, and he couldn’t stop. He told Kagami about how the others had offered their help, about his own confusion and frustration. He even got so emotional at one point, he realized he was dangerously close to tears. His eyes stung and his throat suddenly felt raw. _Whoa_. What’s going on? Had he really been that stressed out about the matter? 

Apparently, yes.

Kagami listened on without saying a word, part of him unable to stop wondering if he should really be the one to listen to all these. Everything sounded pretty private to him. But if Kuroko trusted him enough to tell him all these, then he’d have to prove he was worthy of it. If listening was all he wanted him to do, and he’d listen. He’d push all the meaningless thoughts away, and hear him out. And see what else he could do to help.

“..And now - I just don’t _know_ anymore,” Kuroko finished softly, raking his fingers through his hair, his voice small and soft. _Fragile_. Yeah, that was the word for it. His usual monotone was gone, replaced with something sounding like it was at breaking point. Even Kagami could tell that this had been in his mind for a long, long time. It must’ve been hard for him, really. The fact that he looked like he was about to cry then wasn’t even shocking in the least.

“Your friends are all dicks, huh?” was the first thing Kagami blurted out when Kuroko was done talking. He honestly didn’t get why the latter gave him such a offended look as soon as he said that. It was the truth after all. From what he’d heard so far, every single one of them seemed like first-class jerks.

“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh?” Kuroko asked, and Kagami only shrugged.

“Seriously though,” he said, turning to stare at the ground below his feet. It was completely dark now, and the nearest streetlamp casted an eerie glow around them, making the shadows seem as if they were moving. It was starting to get colder, too. “I don’t want to comment on how they’d never called home after leaving, but this Daiki guy’s taking things a bit too far, don’t you think? I mean, breaking contact is one thing, but to do things that you know would worry someone else if they heard? That’s too much.”

At that, Kuroko’s frown deepened by a fraction. “You don’t understand.”

“Sure I do.” Kagami focused his gaze back on him. “You want to go see him, don’t you?”

Kuroko was slightly taken aback by the abrupt straightforward question. “Y-Yes, but-“

“You’re afraid to go alone, yeah, I know.” Kagami huffed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and bringing his hand over his mouth thoughtfully. This was about to get complicated, he just knew it. 

“Please don’t offer to go with me,” Kuroko pleaded before his companion could even decide on what to say. Kagami glanced at him sideways, raising an eyebrow.

“But isn’t that the only logical way to solve the problem?” he asked, confused. With the circumstances they were facing, wasn’t that the only way? That was what he thought, but Kuroko only shook his head obstinately. Yep. This was definitely getting complicated. “How else are you going to deal with it then?”

“I’ll figure it out somehow,” Kuroko insisted in a tone that did not convince Kagami in the least.

“After failing so many times? I doubt it.” Kagami didn’t really mean to crush his motivations and all, but he had to be frank. Not only was beating around the bush not his style, he figured there was no point in giving the guy false hopes. He braced himself as Kuroko opened his mouth to argue once more, but the words never came. The latter clammed his mouth shut before he could say anything, and turned away, his hands curling loosely into fists.

“Just a day trip will do, right?” Kagami continued before an awkward silence could form between them. “We can go there this Saturday or something and just look for him, give him a punch in the face and come back. Easy.”

“I don’t want you to needlessly spend your money and time to do what _I_ want, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko turned back to him and said stubbornly. “This is _my_ problem, not yours.”

“And that’s _exactly_ why you’re stuck in your current situation,” Kagami said, feeling his agitation piling up. “Because you keep thinking that everything can be done yourself.  Because you refuse every single person who offered to help you.”

“And is that wrong of me?” Kuroko demanded, a tinge of irritation in his voice. “Is it wrong of me for trying not to be selfish?”

“It _is_ if you keep tormenting yourself like that and worry everyone who care for you,” Kagami said, exasperated at just how slow the other boy could be. “Let someone else share your burden already for heck’s sake!”

“I’m talking to _you_ , aren’t I?” Kuroko returned, unconsciously raising his voice. He caught himself and paused, his gaze flickering to the side.  He took a deep breath and willed himself to calm down. Calm down. He then exhaled, and said in a softer, much more controlled voice; “Shouldn’t it be enough for me to just have you listen to what I have to say?”

Kagami stared at him for a moment before heaving his own weary sigh. How could someone so _dumb_ exist, he will never know. “It’s obviously not. You should know that better than anyone.”

“Then-“ Kuroko chewed his lip, hesitating to say the words. When he finally spoke again, his voice was a barest whisper. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Let me help.” Kagami had no such reluctance in his reply. “He’s in Tokyo right? I’ve always wanted to see how are things over there, anyway. And besides,” he shifted and reached into his bag, fishing out a slip of paper. “I need to repay you for this.”

Curious with the sudden appearance of the unrelated item, Kuroko accepted the slip held out to him. He scanned the contents in silence, and to his own amazement, he felt his mood actually lifting by a little.

Kagami’s examination results were recorded on that paper, and not only did he pass every subject he took, his marks were all beyond Kuroko’s expectations. Either the rolling pencil worked too well, or their efforts really paid off. In his form, Kagami ranked in the top hundred fifty, which sounded like such an impossible feat just a few weeks earlier. Honestly, it still did, but Kuroko decided not to sweat the details. Kagami did it, and that was all that mattered.

“It’s thanks to you that I get to continue playing basketball.” Kagami bared his teeth in a sheepish grin. “So of course I have to do something for you in return.”

Kuroko remained silent, his eyes not leaving the sheet. The smile gradually faded from Kagami’s face as he waited for the shorter boy’s answer. _Aw, come on_. He _had_ to say yes. There was no other way. If he really was still going to deny his help, Kagami figured he’d go and find that Daiki guy himself and punch in the guy in the face for indirectly starting this whole mess. Seriously. He didn’t care anymore. No matter what Kuroko’s answer would be, Kagami silently decided he’d go all the same. It didn’t matter if it’ll anger the former or anything. Kagami was prepared to personally go there, and force the guy to make a call to the orphanage and explain himself.

“Is this Saturday fine with you?”

Huh? Kagami blinked. Did he just-? Was he _relenting_? Does that mean they’re going?

“You’re okay with it?” Kagami asked, sounding a little more astonished than he thought he should. He couldn’t help it. He was already wracking his brain for some excuses to tell his father’s servants for going out alone.

“Well, you _do_ sound like you badly want to see how is it like in Tokyo.” Kuroko’s face was a stoic mask as usual when he looked at him, but Kagami could see the flash of gratitude in his blue eyes.

“I guess.” A wan smile found its way to his lips. “This Saturday sounds great.”

“It’s getting late, so why don’t we discuss the details on another day?” Kuroko suggested, shifting to cradle his pet in his arms before standing up. “I’ll contact you when the time comes.”

“Yeah, sure.” Kagami too, got on his legs. He raised his arms above his head and stretched. _Ow, ow, ow._ He’d forgotten about his aching muscles. Ugh. “So I’ll see you around.”

“Be careful on the way home,” Kuroko told him, and he nodded.

“You too.”

“Good night, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko turned, and just before he walked off, he whispered; “Thank you.”

He left before Kagami could properly process his words. The latter stared after his retreating figure, moving to cross his arms. Huh. Everything didn’t seem real, somehow. Did he really succeed in convincing Kuroko to accept his help? Did he really manage to overcome that frustrating stubbornness of his? Did he actually do it? All by himself? By sheer willpower?

On second thought, all that didn’t matter. With a barely restrained feeling of triumph, Kagami shouldered his bag, shivering as his body abruptly registered the cold once more. He’d been so engrossed in the conversation just now that he just stopped feeling everything around him. He’d even forgotten about the dog on Kuroko’s lap, though it was pretty much thanks to it being obediently quiet all this while. Kagami swept his gaze around one last time to make sure he didn’t leave anything behind before turning on his heels, and making his way back home.

This was going to be one heck of a weekend.

**xXx**

Kuroko had a problem.

Only after he’d arrived home, cleaned up, and got ready for bed did the thought cross his mind. What reason was he going to use to explain himself for going out for a whole day this Saturday? A school trip? A meet up with a friend? He wasn’t exactly willing to tell them the truth. Maybe Matron and the other guys wouldn’t mind that much, but Kuroko was ninety percent sure Ogiwara would immediately freak out and feel offended. He knew him too well. He’d ask him why he would accept the help of someone utterly unrelated to them and not one of the people whom he considered as family. Heck, even Kuroko himself wasn’t sure why he did what he did. Why did he accept Kagami’s offer to help when he was so keen on refusing to let anyone do just that?

He was more desperate that he thought he was. The answer was easy. Even _he_ had his limit. No matter how hard he denied it, how hard he tried to push it away, he wanted  someone to come to his aid. He wanted so, _so_ badly to get everything over and done with so he could go back to his normal life cycle and move on. Kagami had been the first person who’d been so darned persistent. But then again, he was also the first person who was not dismissed by him when the subject was brought up. He was the first person whom he’d properly discussed the issue with. He was the first person to know how he actually felt about everything that was going on.

Simply because he was a stranger.

Which, didn’t actually make sense, now that he thought of it. He was more willing to open his heart to a stranger compared to doing the same with the people who were closer to him? It was wrong in so many ways, but Kuroko felt that Kagami was different. He had good intuition, and he knew he could trust the redhead, stranger or not. He genuinely wanted to help him, despite claiming that he’d always wanted to see how is it in the city area.

Kuroko consulted Kagami via mail the next day for some suggestions on what excuse he should use. After some ridiculous ideas and a couple of close calls to starting arguments, the both of them came to an agreement that maybe Kuroko really should tell the truth, but only to Matron. She would understand, surely. Kuroko could always ask her to keep it a secret from everyone else, especially Ogiwara. It’s safer like this too, for at least _someone_ would know where he’d gone to if he failed to  make it back in the expected time.

So Kuroko steeled his nerves, and right after dinner on the same night, he’d confronted his mother figure and told her his plans. Matron kept quiet the entire time, listening intently to his words. Kuroko considered himself a pro in keeping a poker face, but at that moment, Matron seemed to have beaten him. He couldn’t read her expression at all; couldn’t figure out what were her thoughts about his decisions. The stretch of silence that followed right after the last words he said did not help to calm the spark of worry that’d ignited in the depths of his heart halfway through. Was she not going to let him go after all? Was it a bad idea to tell her after all?

“Just be careful when you’re there,” Matron said at last, and Kuroko felt as if the weight of the sky had just been lifted off his tired shoulders.

“I’ll text you every now and then to give you an update on our situation,” he assured, barely able to refrain himself from tackling the lady into a hug. Matron only nodded in response, a queer look on her face.

“Stay with Kagami-kun at all times, okay? Don’t you dare get separated, no matter what happens.”

“I will,” Kuroko promised, his heart thumping painfully against his chest. This was happening. This was really happening. But wait. There was one more thing. He forced himself not to get overexcited just yet. “And Matron? Can I ask for one last favour?”

The lady raised an eyebrow at the change in his tone. “Yes?”

“Please don’t tell anyone else about this. Especially Shigehiro-kun.”

Matron was initially surprised at his request, but as the truth dawned her, she understood. It was definitely better for Ogiwara to not know about this. She too, knew him too well. For the sake of future peace, she agreed that he did not need to know about Kuroko’s plans.

“I won’t,” Matron said, then smiled; her usual, warm smile. “I promise.”

And with that settled, all Kuroko had to do was to wait for the decided day to come. He tried not to think of the scenarios he might find himself in when he does find Daiki. There was no point in planning for something that wasn’t definite. He’ll take things one step at a time. It was time for him to stop thinking for the time being. His brain needed the rest it deserved.

Kuroko thought he’d never be able to relax until Saturday was over, but to his own amazement, he felt pretty good during the next few days. His headaches disappeared completely in two day’s time, and breathing gradually felt easy again. Even his boss at work noticed the change in his mood, asking him if something great had happened. It wasn’t something _great_ per se, but it was definitely something that lifted his spirits. Kuroko refused to reveal anything more, and his boss didn’t ask further. Ogiwara though, had his suspicions despite trying hard not to show it. Kuroko could only hope with all his might for him to eventually forget about it. He honestly didn’t want anything to get out of hand.

Fortunately for him, the following days passed in relative peace, and before he knew it, it was the morning of  their trip. Kuroko was in luck, as a majority of the orphans slept in during weekends. He didn’t need to actually sneak out, instead only having to wake up slightly earlier than the others. He was up at around seven in the morning, which, was one of the quieter hours of the day since those with jobs were already out and those without were still snoring into their pillow. Kuroko was extra careful not to make any sudden loud sounds as he got ready for the day ahead. He fetched his satchel and headed downstairs once he was done changing. He stuffed a bottle of water Matron had prepared for him and an extra scarf into his bag just in case, then he pocketed his wallet and phone.

Just before he left, Kuroko did one last survey on himself. He had around eight thousand yen in his wallet, and his phone battery was at ninety-seven percent after a full night of charging. He was wearing three layers of clothes including his coat and a couple of heat packs stuck to his inner most shirt. He had enough money, battery and heat. He could survive.

Kuroko fished out his phone and texted Kagami to see if he was already on the way as he walked. He received his reply a minute later; Kagami informing him that he was around five minutes away from the station. Kuroko replaced his phone in his pocket, took in a deep breath, and broke into a light jog. His journey would take fifteen minutes by feet, and while it was still early, he wasn’t keen on making the redhead wait too long. 

Jogging was admittedly more tiring than cycling. The distance was nothing much compared to what he had to go through every morning, but by the time he arrived at his destination, he was panting so hard it hurt. He leaned against a nearby wall and allowed himself a moment to regain his breath, moving to retrieve his phone once more. Kagami was waiting for him near the information booth at the entrance of the west wing. Kuroko casted his gaze at the signs hanging from the ceilings, and swallowing once in an attempt to moisten his dry throat, he resumed walking.

Kagami was right at where he said he would be. He wasn’t hard to spot. With his unusually tall figure and dark red hair, Kuroko could see him a mile away without even having to squint. As he neared him, Kuroko felt a sudden wave of anxiety mixed with excitement wash over him. For better or worse, they were doing this. They were about to go to an entirely foreign place with minimum information on the person they were supposed to find. There were no guarantees about anything they were about to do. This trip might prove productive. It might also not.

But it was too late for doubts now. Kuroko squared his shoulders. He was not turning back from this. He refused to turn back on this, especially not now of all times.   

“I’ve already bought our tickets,” Kagami told him once he’d come to a stop by his side. “You can pay me back for it later.”

Kuroko exhaled a slow breath through his mouth. “Alright.”

He figured there must be something in his tone because Kagami shot him a strange look after that, and asked; “You sure you’re fine? You look a little pale.”

 “I’m okay. Just.. a little nervous,” he admitted, shifting his weight restlessly from foot to foot.

“Hey, don’t worry too much about it,” Kagami told him with a comforting grin, reaching to ruffle his already mussed up hair. “It’ll surely work out somehow.”

“If only I’m half as optimistic as you, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko set his mouth in a small pout, but there was no bitterness in his voice. Kagami chuckled and retracted his hand, stuffing it deep into the pocket of his jacket.

“So. We ready to go?”

This was it. Kuroko took another deep breath.

“Yes. Let’s get going.”

 


	10. Chapter 10

They stood before the map display, both trying hard not to freak out over just how complicated everything looked.

After around a two-hour train ride, Kuroko and Kagami finally managed to reach their destination in Tokyo. While travelling, they’d went over their plans for one last time. According to what Kuroko knew, Daiki was another basketball freak, so there was a high chance for him to be in his school’s team. And if he was in the team, then they’d have morning practices even on weekends because Kagami was sure that was how it worked for everyone else and not only for his own club in Teikou. Kuroko had texted Kise earlier to see if he knew what school Daiki attended by any chance, and as a matter of fact, Kise _did_. Daiki was attending a place called Touo Academy - which, by sheer luck, was pretty close to the station Kuroko and Kagami were at now. Or at least according to Google maps.

Kuroko held up the zoomed-in version of the map Kagami had printed out and compared it to the diagram before him. It didn’t make things any better, but at least he could confirm that the map they had was the right one and not one that would lead them to god-knows where. With a soft sigh of defeat, he turned away, tugging his companion’s sleeve to tear his attention away from the confusing monstrosity he was looking at. Kagami blinked as if breaking out from a trance, then turned to look at the shorter boy, an eyebrow raised.

“Let’s just get going,” Kuroko told him, and Kagami shrugged, obliging. He was not making any sense out of that thing, anyway. The odd pair carefully followed the signs, and after several close calls to ending up at the wrong side of the station, they successfully made their way to the exit they were supposed to head to.

Tokyo was different from their hometown in so many ways that Kuroko didn’t even know where to start. In the place where he belonged, parks were everywhere and the tallest buildings around were only the eight-story apartments or office buildings. Right now from where he stood at the entrance of the station he’d just exited, large concrete buildings stretched out everywhere to as far as he could see. It somehow resembled the town area of his hometown, but everything still felt painfully foreign. He figured that maybe it was because he wasn’t familiar with anything in Tokyo. At least back home, he knew when the cluster of buildings would thin out, or when he would barely need to tilt his head up to see the sky. Standing there now, the structures seemed to go on forever. It looked like he’d end up surrounded by bricks and cement and paint wherever her went.

Just the thought of it made him feel slightly claustrophobic. Kuroko glanced up at the redhead beside him, wondering if he was feeling as nauseated as he was. Kagami didn’t seem particularly impressed or taken aback by the sight. Oh. Right. Since he’d grown up in America and all, Kuroko figured this was nothing much compared to how it was over there. He’d never actually minded spending his life in the countryside and all, but now he felt like this self-conscious bumpkin.

“We’ll have to turn right and go straight till we reach a crossing,” Kagami said, and Kuroko snapped out of his futile reverie. To prove that he was somewhat listening, he turned to where Kagami was pointing at. It was barely ten in the morning, so the streets weren’t as packed with people as he’d expected them to be. That’s good. Kuroko decided he didn’t need anything more that could trigger a full-fledged claustrophobia.

Keeping a close eye on the one map they had, the two teens resumed their journey through the unfamiliar city streets.  Kuroko followed Matron’s advice and made sure to stay close to his companion at all times to prevent from being separated. Kagami might be easy to spot, but _he_ was sure as heck not. But despite his efforts to not stray away from his companion, Kuroko honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they really did accidentally part ways halfway through. He couldn’t stop himself from staring at every little thing that caught his eye; the advertisement board across the road, the shops selling those expensive, branded stuff, the gorgeous confectionery displayed behind large glass windows for the world to see.

Kagami, on the other hand, might’ve looked calm and not _that_ impressed five minutes ago, but now he too, was positively gaping at everything around them. The both of them got so carried away that if it wasn’t for Kuroko who’d come to an abrupt realization that they were pretty much forgetting their main objective for going there in the first place, they’d walked right past their stop and gotten themselves lost. Fortunately, Kuroko came back to his senses just before that could happen, and came to a very sudden stop, his hand shooting out to grab the sleeve of Kagami’s jacket. The latter was confused at his behavior at first, and then as though he’d came to a realization of his own, he swallowed his questions, and quietly consulted his map once more.

“S-Sorry,” he muttered as he scanned his eyes over the crumbled piece of paper. “Got distracted.”

There was a reddish tint on his sun-kissed cheeks, and Kuroko found that really amusing, for some reason. He had the urge to tease him about that, but he decided not to at the last second. It was not like he’d been any better, really. “It’s alright. Where do we go after crossing the road?”

Feeling more wary this time, they went on; crossing roads, weaving their way through crowds, hunting for landmarks. If what they got from the internet was true, then the journey would only take around twenty minutes by foot, but to Kuroko, it felt _way_ longer. His growing feelings of anxiety might have played a part, but he thought it was mostly because they tended to make the most unexpected stops to satisfy their curiosity. In his defense, it wasn’t every day that he got to visit a big city like this.

Eventually, the cluster of buildings around them thinned out as they entered a quieter area. Kuroko squinted and raised his hand over his eyes to shade them from the sudden blast of sunlight. Now that the tall concrete structures were gone, there was nothing to block off natural light and the path of the wind. Even with the heat from direct sun, Kuroko still shivered slightly under his layers of clothing. For the umpteenth time in his life, he thanked the gods for the creation of heat packs. He wondered how he’d managed to survive so many winters without them in the past few years.

“Is that it?” Kuroko spoke up once a school-like building came into view in the distance. Kagami said nothing as he held the map before his eyes and studied it, his eyebrows slightly knit in concentration.

“We just passed the ramen shop with the chicken mascot, right?” he asked, and turning around to confirm, Kuroko nodded. “Then yeah, that’s probably it.”

“Okay.” Kuroko exhaled a long, slow breath through his mouth - a habit he didn’t even realize he’d picked up to ease his own nerves. He stared straight ahead, gathering all his determination. He was _not_ backing out of this. “Let’s go.”

Their guess was proved right by the sign at the gate that read ‘Touo Academy’ in big gold letters. Kuroko had just managed to swallow the remnants of his reluctance and slipped through the gap between the gates when he noticed that Kagami was still unmoved from the spot he stopped on, his expression unsure.

“I can wait for you here if you want,” the redhead said when he received a questioning look from his companion, keeping his gaze at the ground below his feet. “I mean, I’m pretty sure it’ll be a private conversation and all and it’ll be really awkward for me to hear everything and-“

“Please come with me, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko’s tone sounded pleading even to his own ears, and that was probably what made Kagami look up at him. He was scared. There, he’d admitted it. In this foreign place where everything was unfamiliar to him, he was unwilling to do anything nor go anywhere alone. He couldn’t do this - not without him. “Please.”

Kagami was still hesitant at first, but after a brief moment of consideration, he finally obliged. He stepped through the same opening in the gate, awkwardly scratching his neck. “But I am still staying out of your conversation, you hear?” he insisted, and at his queerness, Kuroko managed a small chuckle.

“Of course,” he said, and stepped aside to make way for him. He then turned and swept his gaze around, studying his surroundings. Now that they were looking at things up close, Kuroko noticed that the campus slightly resembled those of the universities he’d seen on the pamphlets people would occasionally hand out in the streets. A lawn stretched out on either side of the walkway that spanned from gates to the entrance of the main building, decorated with a variety carefully trimmed plants and marble benches here and there.  The main building itself was impressive; a gray structure three stories tall with two wings that stretched out to the sides.

Looking for the gym  looked painfully impossible in such a huge place.

Before either of them could decide on what to do next, they heard voices approaching their way. A group of students in baseball uniforms were heading toward the gates, too immersed in their conversation to notice the two outsiders standing there. Kuroko made a split-second decision to take the initiative to ask for directions, but with his lack of presence combined with the group’s preoccupation, he wasn’t that successful. He was just about to accept the fact that they would be wandering aimlessly around until they found the gym when Kagami spoke up.

“Uhh.. excuse me? Can you guys tell us where’s the basketball club?” he asked in a weird mixture of formal and casual speech. Kuroko didn’t need to ask to know that Kagami was unfamiliar with the formal way of talking.

The students stared blankly at him as if unable to comprehend what he was saying at first, then as if something snapped into place, one of them pointed down the left wing of the main building.

“They’re in the second gym over there,” he said, aiming his finger at a specific spot on the building. “Going in through the first corridor and just keep walking straight until you hear the noise.”

“Ah, okay. Thanks,” Kagami said, though he didn’t exactly understand where the guy meant. The student shrugged and promptly resumed his talk with his friends, accidentally bumping into Kuroko when they started walking again.

“I’m sorry,” the pale boy said, and that successfully elicited a chorus of surprised yelps from the group. They looked like they were on the verge of breaking into a scream, but they managed to maintain their self control and say; “No, it’s fine” before hurrying off, whispering fearfully among themselves. Kuroko didn’t particularly mind receiving this reaction. It’d long become a normal thing for him.

“Doesn’t that get annoying sometimes?”

“Eh?” Kuroko turned to face his companion, honestly not expecting that question. “What does?”

“Always not being noticed like that,” Kagami said, his eyebrows knit. “Doesn’t it get frustrating at times? I mean, you need to try so hard just so that people can _see_ you.”

“A little bit,” Kuroko admitted with a small shrug. “But I’m used to it, so it doesn’t really matter.”

“ _Heehh_ ,” Kagami sounded like he wanted to say more, but apparently thought better of it and let the subject drop. He focused on the one at hand instead. “Anyway, I don’t know about you, but I have no idea what that guy just told me.”

“I get the picture, more or less,” Kuroko focused his gaze to where they were directed to earlier. “Come on. I think I see the corridor he meant.”

**…**

Finding the gym turned out to be not as difficult as they’d expected.

The pair had carefully followed the directions given to them earlier and had eventually ended up in the school’s inner garden area. They kept following the walkway that stretched straight ahead, and it wasn’t long before the sounds of teenagers shouting, shoes squeaking against polished wooden floors and bouncing of balls reached their ears. The walkway ended before a set of heavy sliding doors, and judging from the noise coming from within, Kuroko was pretty sure they’d reached their destination.

Kuroko placed his hand on the handle and paused, quietly trying to calm his suddenly raging heartbeat. _Please let this go well_ , he prayed over and over again. _Please don’t let me mess this up._ He glanced at Kagami through the corner of his eye, subconsciously asking for his support. The latter stood to one side, leaned against the wall, and flashed him a thumbs up, looking as if he had no intention of going any further than that. Well. It seemed like he wasn’t going to get anything else from him other than that. Kuroko nodded slightly at him as thanks, and taking a deep breath to gather all the courage he could muster, he slid the door open.

For such an impressive looking school, Touo Academy sure had a normal looking gym; a standard one that could fit two courts with metal railings around the second floor. Club members were scattered all over the place in groups; some doing footwork training, some stretching on the floor, some playing half-court three on three. Kuroko searched around for a familiar face, but to no avail. Oh, no. Had Kise made a mistake, after all?

Only one way to find out, he decided, hardening his resolve. He bent over, took off his shoes, and stepped inside.

“Um, excuse me,” he called out to the nearest guy who was probably taking a break from the hell-like training everyone else seemed to be going through. As Kuroko had expected, he wasn’t heard over the loud environment. He heaved a soft sigh. He really didn’t want to result to physical means, but with the circumstances he was facing, he figured he didn’t have much of a choice. So he approached the teen, and touched his arm.

“Excuse me-“

His sentence was abruptly cut off by the latter’s horrified screams.

“I apologize for scaring you but,” Kuroko said before he could be asked the usual ‘when did you get there’ question. He really did not want to stay there any longer than he could help. “Is there a person named Daiki here, by any chance?”

“Daiki?” The taller boy still sounded miffed by the fact that he’d just been reduced to a screaming mess a second ago by a stranger, but to Kuroko’s relief, he didn’t take it out on him. “You mean Aomine? He’s skipping out again today, it seems.”

Kuroko’s hopes suddenly felt so far away. But not yet. He refused to give up so easily. There must be something - anything. “But is he here now? In the school grounds?”

“Can’t say for sure. He _did_ show up earlier, but he apparently got bored halfway through and decided to leave,” the teen rolled his eyes and made a disgusted face. “He left his things here, though, so he’ll probably come back for them later. Maybe you can wait for a bit?”

“..I’ll consider that. Thank you.” Kuroko was careful to keep his tone even despite the fact that he was feeling like someone had just trampled his heart underfoot. Daiki was not there. But that’s not all. He forced himself to look at the bright side of things. It was the right school. Daiki was somewhere around. He’d return to the gym sooner or later. All he had to do was wait for him. All he had to do was wait.

That wasn’t actually so bad, was it?

 Kuroko was just about to leave the gym to give Kagami an update on their situation when he heard a voice calling his name.

“ _Tetsu-kuuun!_ ”

He turned, genuinely taken aback because he _recognized_ that voice. He had just enough time to inhale once before a wave of pink slammed into him, hugging him so tight it actually started to hurt.

“Momoi-san.” There was a hint of surprise in his tone when he greeted her. He grunted softly when the girl pressed even harder into his chest, cutting off his air supply. “Can’t- breathe-“

It took him several tries and a near blackout experience before she heard him. Realizing that she was about to suffocate someone to death, the girl released him with a gasp, promptly took a step back, and apologized. “I’m so sorry!”

Kuroko shook his head as he tried to regain his breath. That was just.. _scary_ , wow. He was literally almost hugged to death. He’d never thought it’d be possible, but after going through that, he wasn’t doubting anything. Well, whatever.

Momoi Satsuki had been one of the kids in the neighborhood back home who used to play with Kuroko and the others all the time, despite her being the only girl around. She’d once claimed to have a crush on the stoic boy himself, but in actual fact, everyone with eyes could see that she was more attached to Daiki.  She was always there fussing over him whenever they hung out together with the excuse that she couldn’t stand to see someone so utterly sloppy and nonchalant. Her family moved a little while after Daiki was adopted, and that had been the last time Kuroko saw the two of them. For them to end up in the same school even after all that’d happened, Kuroko guessed maybe that was what one would call ‘ _Fate’_.

“Hey, Momoi! Someone you know there?” A bespectacled teen with a strange accent called over, and Momoi looked over her shoulder, nodding.

“Yeah! Do you think you could give us a minute?”

“Just don’t take too long, yeah? There’s something the coach wants to discuss with us later.”

“Okay!” Momoi replied cheerfully and took Kuroko by the arm, leading him to a quieter spot by the edge of the gym so that they wouldn’t be in the way. “So. What brings you here of all places, Tetsu-kun?” she asked once they were alone (and hopefully out of earshot). She was practically bouncing on her heels, evidently excited to see her old friend again.

“I heard from Ryouta-kun.” Kuroko didn’t mean to kill her spirits just like that, but he went straight to the point. “About Daiki-kun.”

At the mention of the boy’s name, the merriment drained out of Momoi, and she pursed her lips, her gaze averted. “So you heard, huh?” she whispered after a short pause, her voice small. Kuroko took pride in his own skills to read expressions almost flawlessly, and he could now see one very unnecessary one on the girl’s beautiful features. Guilt. For some reason, she was burdened with the feeling of guilt.

“Nee, Tetsu-kun? Why don’t we take a seat somewhere first?” Momoi asked, gathering the courage to meet those haunting blue eyes. “I honestly didn’t want this to be the first thing we talk about after so long, but I’ll try to explain everything the best I can.”

**xXx**

Kagami was starting to get tired of waiting outside.

He sat crossed-legged on the cement floor, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket. It was cold out there, but he figured it wasn’t something he couldn’t stand. Still, feeling like he was slowly being freeze dried wasn’t exactly his definition of fun. He leaned back against the wall and tilted his head up, heaving a sigh. He squinted at the brightness of the sky above. Unlike their hometown, the sky here was a complete expanse of blue with barely a cloud in sight. No wonder it was so depressingly sunny. If it wasn’t for the cold, it would’ve looked like any other summer day. Now that he thought of it, Kagami remembered hearing somewhere before that it barely snowed in Tokyo. Poor locals. They were missing out half of the fun of winters.

According to his cellphone, it’d only been around ten minutes since Kuroko disappeared into the gym, but with him sitting there with nothing to do, it felt a lot longer. Time seemed to slowly trickle on, taunting him with those agonizingly passing seconds. Even the train ride hadn’t felt so boring. Kagami regretted not getting himself that basketball magazine he saw at the station earlier. He should’ve prepared himself better for this when the decision was made. Now all he could do was restrain himself from entering the gym and ask if he could join them for a game or two.

Kagami was just thinking of maybe taking a short nap to pass the time when he heard the slow shuffle of footsteps coming his way. A shadow fell over him, and he instinctively looked up to see who it was. Towering above him was tanned guy in a faded t-shirt and shorts. His hair and eyes were an unusual midnight blue, though Kagami figured he had no right to comment on that given his own features. Even sitting down, Kagami could tell that the guy was tall - about his height, maybe.

And most of all, Kagami had no idea why, but just looking at this guy annoyed the _hell_ out of him.

The tanned teen’s expression was a mixture of drowsiness, boredom, and distaste; as if he was glaring at someone who’d just woken him from a precious nap or something. There was a white patch on his left cheek, and if Kagami focused enough, he could see fading traces of a black eye. Did this guy get into a fight?

“Move. You’re in the way.”

_Rude_. Kagami couldn’t believe he’d almost felt sorry for the bastard. Sure, he was sitting in the middle of the road but since there wasn’t anyone else around, he didn’t think he would be a hindrance or anything. The guy could’ve at least asked properly instead or sounding like he was ordering him around.

Kagami really _hated_ to be ordered around.

He considered responding to the guy with a retort of his own, but decided not to at the last second. He wasn’t looking forward to starting a fist fight with a stranger just yet. So he summoned all his willpower, and clenching his fists in his pockets, he stood up and said with barely suppressed annoyance; “Sorry.”

Instead of thanking him for making way, the other boy only clicked his tongue before stepping past him, bumping hard on his shoulder as he went. Kagami didn’t know if that was on purpose or not, but at that moment, he was sure he heard something in him snap. He guessed that was probably his thinning patience. Seriously - _what the heck_?

“Hey,” he said before he could stop himself. He wasn’t expecting that to work at all, but to his surprise, the tanned boy stopped in his tracks, his hand hovering above the handle of the sliding door. He looked over his shoulder and glared at the redhead with a look that probably could’ve intimidated half of society. Kagami wasn’t affected in the least.  

“Apologize for that,” he said, willing his temper not to flare. The other guy shot him an incredulous look, which only did well in adding oil to the fire.

“And why should I?”

“That _hurt_ , you shit,” Kagami growled. A tiny part of his brain was still thinking that this was a bad idea, but with his anger kicking in, he didn’t exactly care. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

“Don’t be a wuss,” the other boy snorted, turning around to face him. “I didn’t hit you that hard.”

Yep, he definitely did that on purpose. Kagami was just on the verge of losing it and kicking him in the soft spot when the gym door slid open, revealing a pink-haired girl, and the reason he was there in the first place. Kuroko’s gaze was casted down at the ground at first, so he didn’t notice them right away. But when the girl exclaimed “Ah, Aomine-kun!” as soon as she saw the tanned guy, Kuroko’s attention snapped up, and for the first time ever since Kagami met him, he saw the apparent emotion in his face; one with so obvious relief that Kagami felt his anger simply melt away. There was just something about seeing a usually deadpanned person showing emotions that made everything else not matter.

 “What now, Satsuki?” the teen in question demanded without even turning to look, sounding fairly irritated over the fact that they were interfered. “Can’t you see I’m-“

_“Daiki-kun.”_

He immediately flinched then, his flow of words stopping abruptly. His gaze focused on the spot next to the pink-haired girl, and upon noticing the person standing there, his eyes widened, his face turning several shades paler. It took him several tries before he could find his voice again.

“T-Tetsu..?’

**xXx**

He looked almost exactly the same as he did all those years ago before he was adopted. _Almost_.

He was much taller now; his shoulders broader, his figure more muscular, and his limbs bruised all over. The cheery spark he used to have in his eyes had disappeared, replaced with something darker, meaner, fiercer. _Lonelier_. The bright smile he used to wear all the time was gone, a near constant scowl in its place. His posture was much tenser now compared to the past, as if he was expecting someone to spring on him any moment or vice versa.

It hurt his heart to see him like this.

Kuroko had heard everything he needed to know from Momoi. When he first transferred here to resume his education in his fifth year of elementary school, Daiki was often teased by this particular group of students about the color of his skin. They kept calling him half-bred and all and they’d often ask if he was born with that skin tone or if he just did not take enough baths. He’d tried his best to ignore them at the beginning with Momoi - who, happened to be in the same school then too -’s help to restrain him because _sure_ , he had an unusually dark complexion for a Japanese and perhaps one of his parents really was a foreigner. So what? They could tease all they wanted, but he’d still be who he was. He went on with that thought for a good twelve months; making an effort to not notice the meaningless jeers that were often throw his way and focusing all his energy in playing for the basketball club. The club members there never made any comments about how it was going for him outside the gym. They’d never once commented on his skin color or question his origins. It was because Daiki had their utmost respect, being exceptionally good in the sport he loved. He used to drag everyone else to the nearest street court just to play when they were all younger, earning himself the title ‘basketball idiot’ from Matron. Knowing that he still had some of his past passion with him made Kuroko feel glad, despite everything. At least some things never changed.

But his relief ended there. Everything toned down considerably after a year, seeming as if those kids had given up trying to unnerve Daiki. But then came a day when it was somehow found out that he was adopted, and things took a turn for the worst. The tease and insults suddenly intensified around him and finally drove him over the edge. He could handle being called names and all that, but talking bad about his adopted parents were out of question. Despite his tough exterior and rough personality, he treasured the couple a lot. They’d taken him in and raised him with love and care even though he was a real brat. They’d cherished him and treated him as their birth son. He would not allow anyone - _anyone_ at all to insult them in any way. Never.

The first fight had been quite a mess. Daiki himself suffered only light scratches and bruises here and there, but the other two weren’t so lucky. One had his nose broken and front teeth knocked out while the other received two cracked ribs. There wasn’t even a need for questions. Every single person in the school knew that it was Aomine Daiki who’d invited them out for a fistfight, including Momoi - who, tried as she could, was unable to stop him from doing stupid things. Everyone saw it was Aomine who’d made his move first and landed the first punch. Everyone knew he’d reached his limit and was taking it out on the two boys who were mainly the ones who’d tried to make his life miserable.

He was suspended for a week after that. His parents didn’t blame him, not after listening to the whole story from Momoi. Instead they began treating him like he was this weak helpless kid that couldn’t take care of himself, telling him to confide in them if things like this ever happened again. It only made him more eager to prove that he didn’t need their help, that he could handle things fine himself.

The fights continued even after that, the followers of the pair he’d beaten up seeking for revenge. He’d often find himself cornered on the way back home, and he’d always end up entering the house with a dozen fresh bruises all over his body. The injuries stung , but since they’d never actually interfered much with his life, he’d let them be. Getting into fights then eventually became a normal thing for him. He’d beat someone up or get beaten up himself for at least once a week. He was in the basketball club so he’d always blame the blue-black spots on his arms and legs on the training he had to go through. This, however, reached the ears of the basketball club coach and advisor one day, and there was then it all went completely downhill.

Aomine* was suddenly excused from the basketball club.

He was kicked out from his sole sanctuary. Why? Because the coach thought he was getting out of control, that his presence in the club would affect the team’s image and all that nonsense. And that was when he simply gave up trying. The single light in his world was gone. Why should he even bother anymore? It was then on that he started picking fights even with students from other schools. He started skipping classes too, causing his already low grades to slip even lower. He was doing everything just enough for him not to get expelled before graduation.

Momoi blamed herself for this. She blamed herself for not being influential enough over her best friend, for not stopping him when she still could. She couldn’t do anything when Daiki was removed from the basketball club, couldn’t do anything to help him when everything in his world went wrong. All she could do was watch, her frustration for being so utterly useless building up within her with every passing second. Was she really that weak? Was she really that helpless and unable to do a thing?

She figured she was, which was why she made the decision to follow him to middle school with the hopes of being able to prevent him from doing something rash again. Middle school was where they’d start anew, she’d decided. Where things would change for the better and Daiki would return to his old upbeat self. Where he could do what he loved and play basketball again.

It all started good enough. No one in Touo made fun of him since it wasn’t unusual to see people with darker complexions as there were a fair number of foreign students enrolled. Momoi managed to pester him to once again join the basketball club, and things actually started to look bright again. It wasn’t too late for him to return to how it was before everything happened, after all. He’d give his all in his training and try his best to resist the urge to skip those painfully boring classes.  Everything was going on great.

Until the moment he found basketball no longer as thrilling as it had once been.

With his love for the sport and never-ending desire to get better, Aomine’s play improved at an alarming rate. He had been good before, but now he was just terrifying. He would score points over and over again in a game, shooting from all kinds of impossible positions. He would be able to score at least half the points of his team whenever he played. He initially enjoyed this monstrous strength of his, proud of the fact that his hard work had paid off and he was now so good in the sport he loved. But as time passed, his enthusiasm slowly faded. His opponents guarding him in games just stopped trying because they knew there was no way he could be stopped. There was nothing they could do against him anyway, so why waste energy trying?

Aomine then realized that there was no fun in the sport anymore. There was no longer a flutter in his heart whenever he stepped out into the court. There was no warmth in his chest anymore when he won. Anyone who dared to face him head on would just end up giving up in the end. What’s the point of playing when all he did was dribble the ball, run around a bit and chuck the ball into the basket? Where had all the challenge gone to?

He started skipping training around the end of his first year. What’s the point of practicing when he’s already so overwhelmingly strong? Why did he still need to improve? But despite him he frequently playing hooky, the coach surprisingly didn’t mind much. As long as Aomine was present during the practice and official games, it didn’t matter if he stayed absent from training. Momoi tried her best to convince him to at least show up _twice_ a week, but that was about all she could do. Her best friend was a hardheaded idiot, end of story.

It was also around that time that the kids from elementary school somehow tracked him all the way to his current school for their yet to be fulfilled revenge. Their tenancy was _ridiculous_. Couldn’t they let bygones be bygones? Apparently, they were too stubborn and dumb to do that. A man’s pride, Momoi would guess. Males were always _obsessed_ with their pride.

Aomine was too lethargic to entertain them at first, choosing to take naps on the rooftop while he waited for them to give up waiting for him to show up and go away. He honestly did not want to see their faces again at that point in time. He felt that his life sucked as it was already. But they eventually managed to corner him one day, and that was when his regular fighting schedule resumed. The latest case was his third time being suspended. Once more, and he was out of Touo.

Once more, and he was expelled.

Momoi’s words weighed down on Kuroko like a giant boulder. Daiki had gone through so much after he left, and now he was in danger of being kicked out of school? It didn’t sound real. Everything sounded like it came right out of a TV drama. A ridiculous TV drama made by a bunch of sadistic producers who enjoyed making the character’s life bad. But it was all reality, whether he liked it or not. Life had changed Daiki into someone he wasn’t even sure he knew anymore.  It was a fact. He could lie to himself all he wanted, but that would change nothing.

Nothing at all.

Aomine stared at him like he’d seen a ghost, his expression of utmost disbelief. He’d looked like he was on the verge of starting a brawl with Kagami just a second ago before Kuroko and Momoi walked in on them. Now he looked stripped of that tough exterior, revealing his vulnerable self underneath. _Why is Tetsu here?_ was probably the question that was filling his mind right now. _Why is he here all of the sudden and now of all times?_

It took a moment for Kuroko to gather the strength to take his mind off those thoughts. There was something much more important he had to do. Swallowing once to clear his throat, he opened his mouth and began with the words;

“It’s been a long while, Daiki-kun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Aomine is what I used when referring to him in a more general point of view. Daiki is when the POV focuses a little more on Momoi or Kuroko. I apologize if this just ended up really confusing and if it's really that bad then feel free to inform me about it and I'll fix it up ;u;  
> \--  
> one last quick update before i go back to school ouo. and though its still early, happy new year, guys! Here's to another year of tears and pain and shipping! :D


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! as usual, I'm really sorry for the late update ;u;. School started right after new years and I'm really busy with homework and revision and shit jf;askdfj. unfortunately, it'll only get worse as the year progresses OTL
> 
> I apologize if this chapter turned out a little worse than usual or if it brought disappointment to you guys because writing with a half-dead brain honestly isn't the easiest thing in the world lol. So if this update turned out lacking in quality or whatever, I'm really sorry.

Kagami held his breath for so long, he thought he was going to faint from oxygen deprivation.

The tension in the air was so thick, he figured it wouldn't exactly make a difference if he breathed or not. The whole world seemed to stop working; making the already suffocating silence even worse. The supposedly crisp winter air felt as thick and choking as its summer counterpart, the warm sun now feeling like a glaring spotlight. Kagami felt so uncomfortable and awkward standing there that it was all he could do not to break the silence by excusing himself to the restrooms so he could be out of this.

The four of them had been completely wordless ever since Kuroko's unexpectedly calm greeting to Aomine. The pair were staring so intently at each other that Kagami wouldn't be surprised if they'd completely forget that they were standing stark in the middle of the road at the entrance of the gym where people were starting to look out in curiosity to see what's going on. Kagami felt like time had been trickling on earlier, but now it seemed to be refusing to pass at all. Somebody say something already,  _sheesh_!

"Tetsu-kun's here to see you, Aomine-kun," Momoi said at last, probably unable to stand the silence any more than Kagami. Ah, so  _he_  was the guy Kuroko had been so damn worried about. Hearing the girl's words, Aomine's expression hardened once more, morphing back into that bored, sleepy look that Kagami had wanted to punch off his face less than a minute ago.

"Well too bad," Aomine said with slightly forced indifference. It was easy to tell he was forcing his tone thanks to the tightness in his voice. " _I_  don't want to see him."

"Aomine-kun-" Momoi started to protest, but Kuroko stopped her with a raise of his hand before she could say anything else. When he turned back to the taller boy, there was no evident change in his expression, not even the look in his eyes. He looked amazingly calm for something who was casually turned down like that.

"Daiki-kun," he began, and this time, he was the one being cut off. Funny how it only took the tanned boy a few words to cause Kagami's temper to flare again.

"Now you look here, punk," Kagami said, grabbing the collar of Aomine's shirt and roughly pulling him towards himself. Scarlet eyes glared straight into midnight blue ones. "I did not travel a hundred miles away from home with this guy here just to discover that you're too spoilt to even  _talk_  to an old friend who'd been so worried about you that it was practically draining the energy out of him. I did not willingly take a two hour train ride with a friend who needed my help just to find the person he was supposed to see brushing him off and expecting him to go home after all he'd done and been through. I did  _not_  come all the way here just to have you treating something who cares so much about you like that. So I don't care what's going on with you and if you're going through your teen angst or whatever, but you two are  _going_  to have a talk, like it or not."

Despite Kagami's threatening tone, Aomine still had the nerve to smirk. "And who are  _you_  to tell me what I should and should not do?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he yelped in pain, tearing himself free from Kagami's grasp when he recoiled from the impact. Kagami was confused, until he saw that Kuroko had moved to stand nearer to them, the fingers on his right hand still straightened and pressed together. He'd jabbed Aomine in the side, and probably not very gently too, considering how hard the latter winced.

"What the hell was that for, Tetsu?" Aomine demanded once he'd recovered enough, his hands nursing his assaulted area. The said boy only stared back coldly at him, letting his own hand fall back to his side. He seemed to be  _done_  with the former's antics.

"You being an idiot," he answered simply. "What were you thinking when you did all those stupid things?"

"Satsuki told you everything, huh?" Aomine said flatly before looking away and breaking into a soft sigh. "Not that I expect you to understand how I feel."

"I can if you're willing to talk to me about it," Kuroko told him, and initially, Aomine was still insistent on being left alone, refusing to turn back to the former. But from where he faced, Momoi glared up at him hard, her eyebrows knitted and her the corners of her mouth turned downwards in a slight frown. She seemed to be sending him a silent message.  _Just do it. Just hear each other out._

"Dai-chan."

Maybe it was the tone of her voice. Maybe it was the expression she was wearing. Maybe it was just  _him_. Aomine's eyes hesitantly flickered back to the pale boy, the fight in them gone abruptly. It was also around that moment that Kagami felt the urgent need to leave before he found himself in the situation he'd been painstakingly trying to avoid all this while. But where should he go? Maybe he should head back outside to the courtyard and sit on a random stone bench in one of the gardens while he waited? His dilemma was solved when Momoi took him by the hand, and silently motioned for him to follow her into the gym. Kagami was reluctant to do so at first - people were practicing in there, after all - but with a reassuring nod from the girl, he gave in and began to remove his shoes.

He hoped this wouldn't take too long.

**xXx**

Kuroko might look calm and collected on the outside, but in reality, he felt as if his heart was about to bang its way right through his ribcage and leap out of his chest.

More than anything, he was worried. Worried that he'll say the wrong thing and make things worse. Worried that he'll screw up and ruin everything for both Daiki and himself. He didn't want that. Daiki had already went through enough. Their relationship had become fragile over the years they'd spent apart. He was afraid that one wrong word would end up straining the already fading bonds between them and cause them to disappear completely.

But he mustn't think off all that now. Not  _now_  of all times.

Kuroko trailed behind Aomine as the tanned boy led them out to the main garden for more privacy. Neither fancied discussing about life with an all-too eager audience, after all. They walked all the way to the very edge of the carefully tended garden and sat down on the grass under a shady tree, side by side. Looking from another perspective, Kuroko couldn't help thinking how the school looked even bigger than before. It helped to be distracted, even if it was for little a while. It probably wasn't healthy for his heart to beat that fast for a long period of time.

"The weather's great today."

Kuroko turned back to his companion, raising an eyebrow. Daiki was commenting on the weather? He must've been even more nervous about the whole thing than him. For some reason, knowing that he wasn't the only one on the verge of freaking out calmed him down.

"It is," Kuroko agreed, exhaling a slow breath through his nose. He closed his eyes and let the breeze caress his cheeks, allowing himself to enjoy the temporary peacefulness of the moment. The familiar bitter cold suddenly felt strangely comforting. When he opened his eyes again, he realized Aomine was staring at the horizon, his gaze faraway. Up close, he looked very, very tired.

"Daiki-kun?"

Aomine blinked, then glanced questioningly at him through the corner of his eye. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Kuroko's sudden question must've taken him aback, judging from his reaction. It was just something simple, just a mere inquiry on his wellbeing. Was he alright after everything? Was he still strong enough to handle it? It was something so simple, yet the look on his face told Kuroko that Aomine had not been asked that much all this while. Momoi might have asked a few times. His parent's might've, too. But knowing him, he'd probably distanced himself away from them and lied. He'd probably lied and told them he was okay, that he didn't need their concern. But now that that question was coming from someone he didn't expect he would meet again; someone he thought he'd left behind; someone whom he held so dear in his childhood, the walls he'd built around his heart slowly crumbled, and his true emotions gradually leaked out.

"Okay?" A mirthless laugh escaped his lips, and he raked his hand through his hair, willing himself to keep the feelings at bay. Whoa. What's this? His chest felt like it was constricting. No way. He was  _not_  going to cry. He was way too manly for that. He wasn't a kid anymore. He couldn't afford to cry over little things like this. "Honestly, no."

"It must've been painful," Kuroko said, his voice a whisper. There was a tug in his own heart. It really must have been painful. Putting up with every single thing that'd happened to him couldn't have been easy, not even for something like him. Even strong people had their limits.

"It was," Aomine admitted, settling his gaze at the tiny flowers by his feet. His hands curled into tight fists by his sides. "It was just..  _frustrating_ , you know. I mean, what did I even do to deserve all that?"

"You didn't, Daiki-kun," Kuroko assured, resisting the urge to reach out and hold his hand. The timing just wasn't right. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"It's not like I  _asked_  for it," Aomine continued as if the shorter boy had not spoken at all, caught up in his own thoughts. Thoughts that he'd pushed to the very depths of his mind with so much effort over the years. "I didn't ask to be born looking like this. I didn't ask to be treated differently just because I look a little darker than everybody else. I didn't even ask for anyone to  _notice_  me! All I wanted was for them to leave me alone and mind their own stupid businesses." He paused, biting hard on his lower lip. The next words were difficult to say aloud. The feeling was still there; the raw, unfading ache. The gaping hole in his heart that he was sure he'd never be able to fill. Not anymore.

When he found the courage to speak again, he sounded brittle even to his own ears. Yeah, that was how he felt. Brittle. "And all I ever wanted was to keep enjoying basketball."

Kuroko took his hand then, unable to say anything more. Not after hearing that; that one single sentence that carried so much agony that all he could do was not pull him into his embrace to comfort him. Kuroko knew just how utterly precious basketball had been for Aomine. He  _knew_. He knew how he would still manage to hold himself together and endure everything as long as the sport wasn't involved. It wasn't just painful; it had to be  _excruciating_ , to end up hating something he'd loved with all his life.

"You know what, Tetsu?" Aomine said, finally addressing his companion. Despite that, his attention did not leave the spot he'd been staring at ever since the conversation started. "There are times when I envy you."

"And why is that so?" Kuroko asked softly, unable to keep the confusion out of his voice. Throughout his whole childhood, he'd always,  _always_  admired the person named Daiki in the orphanage he stayed in. Daiki was like the ideal boy; with his outgoing personality and loud voice and overflowing energy and enthusiasm. He was everything Kuroko was not; tall, strong, talented. If there was anyone to be jealous of, it was definitely not Kuroko; Kuroko, who was not tall, strong nor talented. He, who was often compared to a girl because of his frail body, pale complexion and big eyes. He, who often wished he would grow up as tall and strong as his friend Daiki.

"Why..huh?" Aomine mused, almost laughing at the irony himself. "Because you're  _you_ , I guess. Because you hardly ever stand out. Because you're able to enjoy even the littlest things. Because you're just.. just so  _normal_."

"It's not always fun, being me." Kuroko smiled wistfully to himself, averting his gaze. "But I try my best."

"See? You can still try your best even though you don't like it," Aomine said, then breathed a long, weary sigh. "I don't even want to try anymore."

"Don't say that," Kuroko said, frowning slightly as his gaze flickered back to the boy beside him. "Don't give up yet."

"How am I supposed to blind myself with false hopes when the truth is right there glaring at my face?" Aomine faced him at last, and at the moment when their eyes met, Kuroko could barely stop himself from wincing. Those dark eyes which were once filled with life, warmth and dreams, were now empty and anguished. Pleading. Pleading for an answer that would save him, save his heart from breaking into millions of unfixable pieces. "There's no point anymore, Tetsu, don't you understand that? I've already tried again and again." A humorless smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You wouldn't believe it, but I'd once thought of  _you_ , Tetsu, and it wasn't just because Satsuki told me to. I thought of what you'd say if you saw me in this pitiful state. I thought that you'd probably hit me and tell me not to give up until the very end. To keep trying and hope for things to turn out." He took in a breath, and when he spoke again, his voice quavered. "But you know what? I couldn't do it. I can't feel the thrill of playing even if I use all my strength to force myself to. Everyone's just so  _damn_  weak! I just couldn't see the point of it anymore. The only one who can beat me is me. Even  _I_  know that that's a fact that can't be changed."

"But if you give up now, then you'll never be able to find someone who can," Kuroko argued, tightening his grip on his companion's hand. "It's a big world, Daiki-kun. There has to be someone out there who can stand up to you."

"How can you be so sure?" Aomine challenged back, seeming completely unconvinced by Kuroko's statement.

"I can't," Kuroko told him, in all honesty. "But being pessimistic will only bring you nowhere in life. That's what I'd learnt. Things are impossible only if you keep believing they are."

Aomine shifted his gaze again, keeping his silence as he considered his pale friend's words. Was there still hope, even for him? Will there be a chance for him to feel that flutter in his chest again? For him to actually be able to play with all his heart again? It all sounded almost too good to be true; sounded like a fairytale.

Seeing the doubtful look on his face, Kuroko desperately searched for another idea; something more solid and possible. What else could he do other than talk? Inviting him for a one-on-one would be useless because he sucked at basketball so bad even  _he_  wanted to cry when he thought of it. So no, playing against him was out of the question. There had to be something else he could do. There had to be. He'd come so far! Think, t _hink_!

The idea came abruptly, but Kuroko's excitement hardly lasted for two seconds. It wasn't enough, wasn't foolproof. There were no guarantees for success. But he had to try.  _He_  was the one who talked about how being negative would change nothing. There wasn't much time. He had to give everything a try while he still could. If that didn't work, then he'd just have to think of something else.

He had to try.

"Actually, Daiki-kun," he started, breaking the brief moment of silence that had formed between them. "I have an idea."

**xXx**

"You're Teikou's Kagami Taiga, aren't you?"

Kagami blinked, surprised that a stranger actually recognized him. "Well, yeah. How did you know?"

"I've seen you featured in magazines a few times before," Momoi turned to him and said with a small smile. "By the way, I'm Momoi Satsuki. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same here, I guess," Kagami said, scratching the back of his neck. He really, really hated formalities. He gazed at the sight of dozens of teenagers practicing in front of him, a figure at the opposite side of the gym catching his eye. The guy seemed to be waving at them, and Kagami raised an eyebrow. Nah, he probably wasn't the one they were trying to motion over.

"I think that guy there is calling you," he said, and Momoi let out an undignified squeak, abruptly remembering that she'd been wanted just now.

"Give me a moment, will you? I'll be right back," she told him, and Kagami was just about to say that he was okay being left alone for the rest of the time he'll spend there when she hurried off to where the waving guy was. Huh. There goes his plans for keeping a low profile. The guys playing in the nearest court were already stealing glances at him whenever they thought he wasn't looking. Kagami heaved a sigh and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. This was going to be a long, long day.

As he stood there with nothing better to do, he let his thoughts wander off. So that guy just now was the person Kuroko was looking for, was the person who gave him all those days of constant anxiety. Kagami didn't know what was the guy's -Aomine, or something?- problem, but he couldn't help thinking; was he really worth all their trouble? All Kagami needed was a ten-minute conversation with him and he'd already developed an ever-growing urge to smack that smugness off his face. Preferably with something closely resembling a brick in both shape and hardness. Seriously, that guy had some real issues.

But Kagami had caught a glimpse of another side of him too; one that wasn't masked with arrogance and apathy. It was enough to let him know that his issues had their sources, that he was how he was now because of reasons. As much as Kagami wanted to stay mad at him so that he could  _really_  hit him the next time he sees him, he couldn't. Not completely. There was just something about seeing that fractured look in the eyes of a fellow basketballer that got to him. Kagami still didn't know what was going on, but he was sure that Kuroko had made the best choice travelling so far just so he could talk with his childhood friend - contrary to his earlier doubts. Aomine sure looked like he could use some extra moral support, he had to admit.

Kagami caught himself and stopped his train of thoughts, realizing that perhaps he was getting a little  _too_  involved in the business of another. He was only there to accompany Kuroko, not to discover the past of his friends or whatnot. Another sigh escaped his lips. But really. As much as he tried to stop himself, he couldn't stop from wondering how it'd be if he had someone who cared so much about him that they'd be willing to go hundreds of miles away from their comfort zone just to see him. How did it feel like, to be genuinely worried over like that? Would he be touched? Or mad, maybe, because he'd feel like he wasn't worth the effort and time? Or would he be overwhelmed to know that there was still someone there for him when he needed them to be?

He honestly didn't know. All he knew was how lucky Aomine was to have someone like Kuroko to cherish him enough to do so much for his sake.

"Sorry for the wait!" Momoi's voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he blinked, his gaze focusing on the pink-haired girl that was making her way over. He wasn't exactly sure, but it felt like she'd only been gone for a little while, barely fifteen minutes. It didn't feel that long to him, really.

"Where were we again?" Momoi asked once she'd come to a stop, huffing once before straightening up and brushing a lock of stray hair behind her ear. Kagami didn't realize it before, but he noticed she looked pretty haggard herself; with bags under her eyes and her shoulders slightly slumped forward in exhaustion. Kagami guessed she was the manager of the club - and the  _only_  one, at that, since there weren't any other girls or people who looked as free. It must've been undoubtedly draining, to handle such a large club full of males all by herself.

"We were just introducing ourselves," Kagami said without much enthusiasm. He wasn't exactly keen on starting a potentially endless conversation because  _come on_ , they were both tired. They probably should spend some time to recover some energy before they end up collapsing later or something.

But Momoi clearly did not have the same ideas because she immediately launched herself into another talk once she remembered what she'd wanted to say earlier. "Ah, that's right! Kagami-kun's a power forward too, right?"

_Too?_  Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why?"

Instead of answering him, Momoi dug into the pocket of her sweater and brought out a small notebook. She rapidly flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

"Your physical stats and personal records are quite good," she muttered, her eyes scanning the contents of her book. Her sentences weren't questions anymore, but statements. Unnervingly accurate statements. "You're occasionally a starting member in your team despite being promoted to the first string only recently, and your specialty are power jumps and dunks. You're a hundred and eighty-five centimeters tall and you weigh seventy-seven kilograms. Your worst subject is Japanese language and despite staying in America for the whole of your life until you moved here three years ago, your English is pretty bad too. Your preferred shoe brand is Nike Air Jordan and you wear a size 27.5 -" she stopped, realizing that she was probably freaking the redhead out pretty badly by spouting all these facts out of the sudden. Judging from the way Kagami stared at her with his eyes wide and mouth hanging half open, she was a little too late.

"Sorry," she apologize sheepishly, closing the notebook and stuffing it back into her pocket. "Got carried away."

It took Kagami several tries before he could find his voice again . "How did you..?"

"Hmm? I specialize in scouting and collecting information," Momoi explained, not without a tinge of pride in her voice. "Some of it are common knowledge, while the others are just something I happened to discover when I looked up about you. It's my job as the manager to identify and know the opponents that my team would potentially face, after all."

She smiled, and it was then that Kagami had the feeling he'd just befriended someone very terrifying and dangerous. Sure, some of the things she said really were the basic stuff that one could find out easily like his height and weight and specialties, but his best subject and preferred shoe brand? And shoe size, even? He'd seen stalkers that were less scary. He'd been featured in magazines once or twice, but they were all just short interviews that didn't reveal much of his personal information. His whole life suddenly felt exposed, and unease washed over him. Was that really all she knew? What if she knew more about him than he himself ever did? The thought of it alone was enough to make him shudder.

"But honestly speaking," Momoi continued, either not noticing the redhead's discomfort or simply choosing to ignore it. There was a change in her tone now; her voice turning more serious, the cheeriness gone. Even someone as dense as Kagami could feel the difference in the air. "It's not like I'm doing this a hundred percent for the club."

"Is it Aomine?" Kagami took a wild guess and blurted out without thinking. Belatedly, he realized that perhaps that wasn't exactly the smartest move, but Momoi only averted her gaze to the side and pressed her lips together in a barely restrained grimace.

"Yes," was all she said before drifting into a lapse of silence, lost in her own thoughts. Kagami wasn't willing to pry, so he didn't. He didn't need to know about matters that didn't concern him. He'd already decided to stay out of this as much as he could help it. He didn't need to know any more than he did.

He would not ask.

The lack of words between them was just about to start making things awkward when the entrance door opened. Kagami reflexively turned to see Kuroko stepping in with Aomine tailing behind him. Compared to the time when they met earlier, the tanned boy looked more subdued, his cocky expression gone. Kagami couldn't help but wonder if the conversation between them worked out or not. It was difficult to tell by just looking at their faces.

"Tetsu-kun! Aomine-kun! You're back!" Momoi greeted, failing to keep the worry out of her voice as she hurried over to join them. Kuroko faced her, but Aomine only continued staring at a spot on the floor, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his shorts.

"Momoi-san," Kuroko said, his voice still impossibly his usual monotone. How the heck does he even do that? Kagami couldn't help but wonder. "I apologize, but can I ask for a favor?"

He lowered his voice then, and Kagami was standing too far off to hear what he said after that. The noisy environment didn't help. Kagami wouldn't even have been bothered if it wasn't for the occasional glances that were thrown his way. Were they talking about him? He had a bad feeling about this. It only got worse when Kuroko started heading his way after finishing their brief discussion while Momoi jogged off somewhere. Seriously? They were really going to drag him into this?

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko started, and Kagami braced himself - though he wasn't really sure  _what_  he was bracing himself for. The shorter boy came to a stop before him, and it was at that moment that Kagami noticed. His demeanor might look the same as it always had been, but Kagami saw something else in his eyes. He'd seen that look before; that look of silent pleading. Oh, dear. He was definitely not going to be able to refuse this.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked before Kuroko had the chance to say anything else, hoping he didn't sound too unwilling. He honestly didn't want to burden the guy with any more feelings of guilt and helplessness. The surprised look he received at first made him think that maybe he'd gotten the wrong idea and that Kuroko had just been trying to tell him something else, but the apology that followed soon after proved him wrong.

"S'okay, man. I don't actually mind that much," Kagami assured, and to his own amazement, that did not feel like a lie. He really  _did_  not mind at all. Kuroko didn't seem convinced by his words, but he forced down his reluctance, and locking eyes with him, he asked in his usual straightforward manner;

"Kagami-kun, could you play a one-on-one with Daiki-kun?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayy it's about time I update //shot
> 
> guys thanks so so much for all the kudos you guys are just wow ;fkahsd;fkha;sdkfha;sdkhf 
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH I CAN ONLY HOPE I DIDN'T DISAPPOINT YOU GUYS TO MUCH WITH THIS CHAPTER IM SORRY BUT THANK YOU OKAY I SHOULD STOP NOW

Kagami wasn’t sure how he’d ended up standing in one of Touo Academy’s outdoor basketball courts with his jacket off and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up all the way to his elbows.

Rewind back to the moment when Kuroko asked him to play a one-on-one match with that Aomine bastard. Kagami had expected to be dragged into this somehow or another, but not like this. Not like _this_. His brain pretty much failed to process the sudden turn of events. One minute he was staring at Kuroko dumbly like an idiot and the next Momoi was back by their side saying that she’d gotten permission from the coach to use the outdoor court for a quick game. Kagami couldn’t remember if he actually _did_ agree to do this or if he was literally dragged out to do it. He vaguely remembered thinking “ _Ah, screw it,_ ” before shrugging and going with the flow. Now that he thought of it, he didn’t even ask for any elaboration about the matter. Want him to play basketball? Sure, why the hell not? It was better to be distracted than to just stand there and feel self-conscious all day.

So there he was now, standing jacketless outside under the freezing weather with an orange ball in his hands. Aomine stood before him, looking unimpressed. _Doubtful_ , even. Like he was already expected to be an utter let down. Was that it? Was he really looking down on him that bad? Kagami figured this would be a good time to introduce his fist to his face, but he held himself back. No, he won’t use violence. He’d beat him through basketball.

“We’ll stop the game once any one of you scores ten baskets, okay?” Momoi said, and the two boys on court nodded, not taking their eyes off each other. Kagami took in a breath and exhaled through his mouth, willing himself to relax as he got into a more natural stance. The ball left his hands and bounced against the concrete ground with every practiced flick of his wrist. Aomine too, got into position, and at that moment, the look in his face completely changed. Seeing it, Kagami unintentionally gulped. His expression was of utmost concentration, like a beast in hiding waiting for its prey to walk right into the proximity of its claws. Kagami was never easily intimidated by his opponents, but he couldn’t help feeling his skin crawl at the sight of the tanned teen. He didn’t even need to play against him to know that this person was _crazy_ strong. Aomine simply radiated an aura that pinned him as an overwhelming player.

“And I’ll be the referee,” Kuroko announced, throwing the loop of a plastic whistle over his neck. He glanced at the two teens facing each other on court, fighting to keep his anxiety down. He still didn’t know if doing this was the best choice, but he decided not to ponder over that. Whatever happens, happens. He could only hope for the best. He’ll deal with things one step at the time.

“Oi, Tetsu,” Aomine called to him without looking over, temporarily losing focus. The confident arrogance was back in his voice; the superior ring that pissed Kagami off till no end whenever he heard it. “You really sure this is going to work? The guy’s practically shaking in his shoes already.”

At that, the redhead in question stopped his dribbling and made a loud, indignant sound, while Kuroko only calmly replied, “I’m pretty sure it’s only you, Daiki-kun.”

“No, I mean, just _look_ at him! We haven’t even started and he’s already sweating!”

“We don’t have all day, Dai-chan,” Momoi reminded him, sounding weary. “Just start playing already!”

“Hey, I’m not the one who wanted to do this in the first place,” Aomine protested, turning to glare at her before pointing a finger at the redhead. “And tell that to the guy who’s having the ball!”

“Just get on with it, geez!”

Aomine tilted his head skywards and let out an obscenely loud sigh, like, _why me_? Kagami seriously considered throwing the ball at his face while he was distracted. He knew he had problems and all, but his personality was really, _really_ annoying the flying hell out of him. It was baffling, how someone like Kuroko actually managed to get along with this cocky douchebag in the past. The difference between them was like the earth and the sky. Possibly even bigger, but Kagami wasn’t exactly in a convenient enough situation to think up of another comparison.

When Aomine was done lamenting over his fate, he returned his head to its normal position, and locked gazes with Kagami, silently issuing a challenge. Kagami narrowed his eyes and shifted his footing, feeling the tension build up once more. He considered himself a pretty skilled player, but Aomine was probably even more so. He had to be careful. Losing wasn’t exactly an option if he wanted to wipe that look off his face.

As he began dribbling again, he let his player instincts take over. He searched for openings in the tanned boy’s defense, his mind working to decide on the safest move to make. He was prepared to sacrifice a couple of baskets in order to get a grasp of his opponents skills and capabilities. From his experience, that was the best way to make an approach. Charging straight in and aiming for the basket might be really tempting, but he forced himself not to be rash.

At the moment when Aomine seemed to be distracted by something to his side, Kagami took the chance, and attempted to go pass him with a drive. In the exact second where Kagami thought he’d gotten through, the ball was tapped from his hands, and before he could even comprehend what just happened, the whistle sounded. Kagami stopped in his tracks and straightened up, staring at the tanned teen in bewilderment. Teikou actively participated in tournaments, so of course he’d went against plenty of fast, talented players. But Aomine felt like he was in a class of his own. His reaction speed was absurd. Kagami measured his opponent’s reaction time by footsteps. He’d usually be able to take at least two steps after passing them before they responded and moved to defend. Against Aomine, he couldn’t even take another step forward. The guy didn’t even budge from where he stood, only his hand shooting out to tap the ball out of his hands in one lightning fast  move.

“Ah, my bad, my bad,” Aomine said as Kagami unfroze to go retrieve the ball, sounding bored already. “You were so slow I just did that without thinking.”

_Slow_? Kagami scooped the orange item up and headed back over, subconsciously reviewing the past minute in his mind. He hadn’t been going slow, not really. So a head-on assault was a bad idea. He should try something else. When he held out the ball to Aomine, the latter shook his head and made sweeping motion with his hand, signaling for him to have another turn. Kagami headed back to the three point line and resumed his initial position.

No matter how Kagami tried, the outcome was the same. He couldn’t get past his opponent and score a basket. Drives didn’t work. His attempts to use his high jump advantage didn’t either, for the ball was knocked out of his hands before his feet could even leave the ground completely. Aomine let him have two more tries before he got tired of waiting and started demanding for the ball. Kagami was already sweating buckets by that time, his breathing beginning to lose its rhythm. _Damn_ , this bastard was good! He lifted his free hand to dry the sweat on his face with his sleeve as he threw the ball to the tanned boy, feeling a grin threatening to make an appearance. He was on a losing streak at the very beginning, but that surprisingly did not bother him as much as he thought it would. He was, in fact, _enjoying_ it; enjoying the feeling of having to face someone so impossibly strong in basketball.

Speed turned out to be only one of Aomine’s many weapons in his arsenal. Turns out he could also shoot the ball from almost any distance, any angle, and any position. His movements were unpredictable, unstoppable. A true genius, that’s what he was. He was so formless in his play that Kagami half expected him to throw the ball while doing cartwheels and still manage to get it through the hoop. Aomine completely destroyed him in five minutes - the fastest Kagami had ever lost to someone even compared to back when he played street basketball in the States.

But despite owning such monstrous strength, Kagami noticed one thing about the blue-haired player. Throughout the whole game, the whole five minutes in which Kagami played defense, Aomine never smiled. Not once. Not even a slight upward twitch of his lips. It was as if he couldn’t even feel the slightest satisfaction in winning anymore. Kagami would always feel a small sense of triumph whenever he achieved victory in even in the littlest street games or training matches. Aomine’s case was obviously different. Even after winning, he wore an expression of disappointment as though he’d expected this to happen and had dreaded it.

“I told you didn’t I, Tetsu?” He turned to face the pale boy once he’d retrieved the ball from where it’d bounced to. “The only one who can beat me is me.”

Well _someone_ was overly confident with his own abilities. Not that he had no reason to feel so. But that doesn’t change the fact that that one sentence was utter bullshit. Kagami had to admit; he’d been through that phase one point in time too, particularly right after he’d newly moved to Japan. He thought he was superior in skills to the local players just because he came from a country famous for its legendary basketballers. He thought every other person in his age group who played the sport was beneath him, thought they were all nothing but trash.

Until he entered Teikou Middle School.  He was undeniably indignant when he found out he was assigned to the second string and not the first. He’d raged and ranted and called the coach names, and subsequently, he was crushed in a game by his seniors from the first string who’d wanted to teach him a lesson for being so damned egoistical. Heck, Nijimura had even included a personal finger flick on his forehead that nearly knocked him off his feet with its sheer force.

Kagami learnt not to be so full of himself after that.

Sure, Aomine was a monster and he really seemed undefeatable, but that wasn’t exactly the problem now was it? He didn’t sound like he was showing off when he claimed that the only person who could beat him was him. He sounded like he was simply stating a fact, just like how he’d say he was a guy with blue hair or something like that. Wasn’t that.. a little lonely? To think that you have no one worthy to be called an equal or even a rival? Understanding suddenly dawned him; understanding on why Kuroko had been so desperate to the point that he was asking _him_ to play with his childhood friend. The plea was obvious now.

Please help Daiki-kun.

“Wait,” Kagami called out before Aomine could walk away. “One more time.”

“Huh?” The latter glared at him through the corner of his eye, as if refusing to brain the absolute nonsense he’d just spouted. Kagami wasn’t fazed in the least.

“You heard me,” he said, careful to keep his tone leveled. “One more time.”

 “Go play by yourself. I’m tired.” Aomine yawned, lazily reaching to scratch the back of his head. “It’ll be the same no matter how many times we go at it anyway.”

“Five minutes,” Kagami insisted, feeling his fists clench at his sides. “We’ll take a five-minute break, and then we’ll play another round.”

Aomine scowled at him directly this time. “Look, if you’re doing this just because Tetsu asked you to, then stop. I don’t need your help.”

“Oh, no, I’m afraid it’s quite personal this time,” Kagami said, and he meant it. He wasn’t doing it just for Kuroko’s sake anymore. “I just hate losing to you, that’s all.”

“Well suck it up ‘cause we’re done here.”

“I refuse.” Kagami held that midnight-blue gaze with his own, and an idea abruptly popped into his mind. He seldom used tactics like this, but that didn’t matter. Letting a smug look cross his features, he taunted, “Or are you just scared?”

“Hah?” Aomine sounded incredulous, which was a satisfying difference to see in his demeanor. “Me, _scared_? You kidding, right?”

Kagami shrugged. “Not at all.”

“Are all your friends as stupid as this?” Aomine faced Kuroko and asked, casually pointing a finger at the mentioned redhead. There was no evident change in the shorter boy’s expression.

“Daiki-kun was the first.”

“Somehow, I get the feeling you’d just passively insulted me right there,” Aomine muttered under his breath loud enough for every person present to hear. He seemed to contemplate over his choices for a moment before clicking his tongue, sighing, and turning back to the person on court.

“Fine. But just one more. And then I’m out of here,” he said, begrudgingly relenting. Kagami didn’t answer, for as much as he hated to admit it, just one game wouldn’t be enough. The difference in ability was too obvious. Even if he were to adapt to Aomine’s speed and rhythm, he’d still have to put a lot more effort in his play if he was to score a point against him.

“If that’s settled,” Kuroko said, checking the clock in his cellphone. “We’ll begin again in five minutes. Please rest up properly until then.”

**xXx**

There were many, many times when Kuroko wished he was taller, stronger, and better at playing basketball.

This was one of those times. It was all he could do not to leave his mouth gaping open in awe as he watched the game increase in intensity with every minute passed. Kagami’s performance had honestly not looked promising at the start, but now that they were somehow in their tenth game, he’d managed to more or less keep up with Aomine. Their play was almost terrifying; like a clash between beasts. A clash of raw talent. Even standing at the sidelines, Kuroko could almost feel their wills going against each other’s as they played on; a flurry of dribbles, sudden halts, dashes, and dunks. Kuroko knew all along that Aomine was amazing - his form was just _unreal_ \- but Kagami deserved nothing short of that, either. He was eventually able to block quite a number of Aomine’s shots, to dribble past him and score himself. Their matches slowly stretched from five minutes to ten, ten to fifteen.

Still, Kagami had not won. Not once even after nearly two hours. But he didn’t look like he was giving up at all. Aomine, on the other hand, looked like he was - dare Kuroko hope?- slowly opening up. Gone were the excuses of being bored or tired. Gone were his complaints whenever Kagami insisted for a rematch after a short break.

Watching the two of them play reminded Kuroko of the simpler, happier days. The days when they used to go out as one large group to the nearest streetball court and just play and scream and shout until the sun set. The days when they were all still together without a worry in the world. Daiki had been the one to set the trend. He was the first one to get attracted to the sport after watching an NBA game on TV. Kuroko remembered how Daiki used to sneak out of the house just to play basketball with some of the neighborhood kids because he didn’t own a ball, how he’d eventually start dragging the rest of the gang in the orphanage with him because he wanted to show them just how incredible the sport was.

How he used to always, always laugh with such lighthearted joy whenever he played.

Kuroko was jarred out of his reverie when he heard the loud bang of the ball being dunked into the basket. His gaze flickered up, his brain registering the image of Aomine hanging onto the rim of the hoop for a split-second before he dropped to the ground with surprising lightness. And then there it was. Kuroko blinked, almost refusing to believe his eyes. It was brief, but it had been there, right? It had to be. Kuroko’s eyes was keener than those of most other people. There shouldn’t be a mistake. It disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared, but it had been there. Kuroko was sure of it.

Daiki had smiled.

Kuroko had spent his time observing the two players on court, half because it was his job as referee, half because that was what he liked to do - observe. All along, Kagami played with a defiant fire in his eyes; responding to Aomine’s challenges head on without backing away once. He was still not winning by a long shot even after so many attempts, but he didn’t look as if he minded that at all. It was obvious that he was enjoying himself; with that manic grin that made its way to his features every once in a while and the tone he used to demand for a rematch. Maybe it was that. Maybe it was Kagami’s enthusiasm and skills that helped the old Daiki resurface, even if it was for an absurdly short moment. Maybe it was because Aomine thought that maybe, just maybe, he’d found him; found that one person who could stand against him as an equal, a rival.

Kuroko found himself desperately resisting the urge to run out there and bless Kagami on the spot. 

“Oi, oi, what’s wrong, Kagami? You’re slowing down. You tired already?” Aomine teased when the redhead stopped for a breath. They were both sweating like crazy after everything, despite the low surrounding temperature. It wasn’t surprising, considering how intense their matches had been.

“Shut up,” Kagami snapped, sloppily dragging the collar of his shirt over his face. “I can still go on for hours.”

And right after he said that, his stomach produced a growl so loud Kuroko swore it echoed into the surrounding silence. Blush promptly rose to the redhead’s face, turning it just a shade away from matching the color of his hair. This had to happen _now_ , of all times.

“That didn’t sound convincing at all,” Aomine snorted, and Kagami found the urge to hit him returning. Fortunately, Kuroko spoke up before he could.

“Perhaps we should take a proper break and go for lunch first,” he said, checking the time on his phone. “It’s almost noon, anyway.”

“ _Pssh_. Lunch is for the weak,” Aomine said dismissively, and the shorter boy only stared at him with that unchanging blank look of his.

“If Kagami-kun faints from hunger later on, I insist for Daiki-kun to be the one who’s carrying him all the way back home,” he stated simply, and that was enough to shut Aomine up. “Now let’s go look for Momoi-san first. I think she’ll want to join us if she could.”

With that decided, the three boys did a brief tidying up, and left the court without another word. They found Momoi locking the doors to the gym a little later, a black sports bag slung over her shoulder and some towels tucked under one arm. She’d returned to the gym after Kagami and Aomine’s third match, since she still had her responsibilities as the manager despite having some personal affairs going on. Judging from the silence coming from behind the doors, practice must’ve been over. As the trio approached, Momoi perked up at the sound of their footsteps, and turned around.

“How did it go?” she asked worriedly, her gaze flickering from boy to boy, trying to read their expressions. Did Kagami win? Was there a turnaround?

“Kagami-kun still hasn’t won yet,” Kuroko said as if hearing her thoughts, and Momoi desperately resisted the urge to break into a sigh. So it was impossible, after all. Aomine still couldn’t be defeated.

“Anyway, Kagami-kun needs to eat before going at it again,” Kuroko continued. “Do you want to join us, Momoi-san?”

“Sure thing!” Momoi replied without a moment of hesitation, instantly cheered up by the fact that her Tetsu-kun had just practically invited her out for lunch. She hastily snapped the padlock in place and headed over to join the boys. She stopped before the two taller ones and offered them the towels she had with her. “You two should dry up a little first, though. I don’t exactly fancy walking everywhere with a couple stinking guys dripping with sweat. And also,” she slipped the bag off her shoulder and handed it to Aomine. “Carry your own things, Dai-chan.”

“Well aren’t you the demanding one,” Aomine said flatly without bite, taking both the towel and his bag from Momoi. The girl only flashed him a smile dripping with sweetness.

“How do you think it feels like for me every single day?” she asked, and Aomine could only laugh nervously and look away.

“It’s not nice to always make Momoi-san do extra work, Daiki-kun,” Kuroko chided disapprovingly, hitting the boy in question on the arm and successfully earning himself an indignant “Ow!”. “She’s got enough in her hands as it is. You’re not a child anymore, you know.”

“Kuroko’s right,” Kagami didn’t intend to join this conversation, but he couldn’t help it. He was unable to keep quiet after hearing how Aomine treated a girl even if Momoi was his childhood friend. Kagami tended to stay away from females even when he was in the States, but even he knew it wasn’t right to take advantage of a friend’s willingness. “Do your own things, man.”

“Just spare me the preaching, _sheesh_.” Aomine yawned before turning around and sauntering away, the rest tailing after him. He didn’t seem to be willing to look them in the eyes after being reprimanded for his behavior. Not that the others minded that that much. It’d do him good to have his airs taken away from him once in a while.

“So,” Momoi began as they made their way to the gates, leaning forward slightly so she could talk with the boys by her side face to face. “What are we having?”

“We haven’t decided yet,” Kuroko said, his gaze flickering from straight ahead to her. “What would you suggest, Momoi-san?”

“Hmm.” Momoi thought for a moment. “Something simple and inexpensive, maybe? I don’t usually recommend this, but what do you guys think about some fast food?”

“Maji Burger?” The words left Kagami’s mouth before he could stop himself. Momoi was nice enough not to tease him about that, but she did have an amused smile gracing her features.

“There’s one about a station away,” she told him. “How about it? Is Tetsu-kun fine with that?”

“The vanilla shakes there are the best,” was all Kuroko said, a special sparkle in his eyes. Seeing that, Momoi couldn’t help letting her smile widen. It’s been so long since she saw that endearing vanilla-enthusiast side of him. 

“Dai-chan! We’re going to Maji Burger, okay?” she called out to the boy up front. Aomine only made a halfhearted back-hand wave as a response and kept walking. As Momoi stared after that all-too familiar broad back, she came to a sudden realization that something felt different. She couldn’t pinpoint what _exactly_ was it, but Momoi prided herself on her keen intuition. She just knew something had changed about him - however subtle that something was; from the way he held himself to the way his voice had lost a little of its usual edginess. Maybe the talk with Tetsu and the matches with Kagami hadn’t been completely futile in the end? Momoi allowed herself to hold on to that tiny spark of hope. It’s still not too late.

“Hey, Tetsu?”

At the sound of Aomine’s voice, Kuroko blinked out of his trance, his gaze taking focus. He broke into a jog to catch up with the taller boy before falling in step with him at his side so that they could talk more comfortably. “Yes?”

 Aomine stared at his feet and chewed the corner of his lip, now hesitant to voice out the question he’d been meaning to ask. Kuroko waited without saying a word, unwilling to pressure him to do or say something he didn’t want. Daiki had already been through that kind of treatment enough. There was no need to rush. So Kuroko waited, waited for that reluctance to fade and for Aomine to gather enough courage to speak his mind.

“The guys back the orphanage,” Aomine finally managed to blurt out after a moment of silent contemplation, scratching the side of his cheek. This topic seemed to make him uncomfortable, for some reason. Kuroko couldn’t help feeling slightly curious, but he decided not to dwell on that for now. “How’s everyone doing?”

“I didn’t expect Daiki-kun to ask that of all things,” Kuroko admitted after a pause, and Aomine only made a low grumble.

“I’m not entirely as stuck up as you might think, Tetsu,” he protested, and Kuroko could feel himself breaking into a smile.

“I was just pulling your leg,” he said, though it was difficult to tell if he was lying or not thanks to his monotone. “Do you want to hear from the beginning?”

“Just the recent stuff would be good enough, I guess.” Aomine kept his gaze ahead as he walked, heading toward the direction where Kuroko and Kagami had came from earlier. “I get the feeling you’d never finish if you begin from scratch.”

“Point taken,” Kuroko agreed with a nod before falling into a lapse of silence, caught up in his thoughts. “For starters, we’d just adopted a puppy recently. His name is Nigou.”

**xXx**

“Hey, Kagami-kun?”

Kagami glanced down at the girl walking alongside him, eyebrows raised. He and Momoi had spent their time tailing a good distance behind the other two, subconsciously giving them the space they needed. Aomine and Kuroko had been immersed in their conversation ever since they left the gates of Touo Academy, and in contrast, Kagami and Momoi had been walking behind them in a comfortable silence. Kagami was contented with saying nothing, being the socially awkward guy he was.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, but how did you get to know Tetsu-kun for the first time?” Momoi asked, tilting her head to meet his eyes.

“A friend of his is my senior in our school’s basketball club,” Kagami told her, not at all inclined to explain how they’d really met on that one dark, freezing winter morning. Now that he thought of it, that probably only happened about a month or so ago, but it felt like it’d been forever. So many things had happened ever since he met him that it felt more like they’d already knew each other for ages. “Kuroko was asked by him to be my, _ah_ , tutor for a few days to prepare me for a mock test.”

“Nijimura-san, right? It’s been a while since I saw him.” For a moment, Momoi’s gaze turned faraway. She returned to her usual upbeat self a little later. “How were the lessons with Tetsu-kun, anyway?”

“Terrifying,” Kagami admitted, nearly shuddering from the memories alone. “He really made me _sit_ there  for hours and do nothing but _study_.”

“Isn’t that the whole point of it?” Momoi laughed, and Kagami himself managed to crack a smile.

“But it was thanks to him that I managed to pass,” Kagami said once the girl had calmed down from her giggles. The seriousness in his tone took even him aback. “So I’m really grateful.”

“And I’m grateful to _you_ , Kagami-kun,” Momoi told him, and all the redhead could do was stare at her smiling face in confusion.

“What for?” he asked, and Momoi gestured to the pair in front of them with a small tilt of her chin.

“For playing with Aomine-kun,” she said simply. That utterly made no sense to Kagami because he honestly thought it hadn’t been a big deal. All he did was insist for rematches because he was a sore loser and because he was having so much fun playing with someone to incredibly strong. Maybe it really had been about the guy at the beginning, but towards the end, all Kagami wanted to do was to keep playing and win so he could prove Aomine’s bold statement wrong. That he wasn’t the only one who could beat him.

“I just didn’t like the idea of losing to someone like him,” Kagami said with a shrug. “And it’s not like I did anything much.”

“It might seem insignificant to you, but it means a lot to us,” Momoi said softly, keeping her eyes trained on the two figures walking ahead. “So thank you so much, Kagami-kun.”

“Like I said, I didn’t _do_ anything,” Kagami sighed wearily. He truly didn’t like to be praised for something he didn’t deserve any credit for. “I only insisted for rematches, that’s all.”

“It’s fine if you want to think of it that way, but it doesn’t change the way Tetsu-kun and I feel about you,” Momoi said, watching as Kuroko and Aomine broke into a small fit of laughter. When was the last time since she saw them being so genuinely happy together? Emotion abruptly swelled in her chest, and she found herself blinking back the sudden tears. She took a shaky breath to control herself, and clearing her throat to make sure her voice wouldn’t quaver, she added; “Just remember that you helped in bringing the smiles back to their faces, no matter how tiny of a role you’d played.”

She figured Kagami must’ve been watching the duo in front too, judging from his tone of voice when he answered with a distracted “Y-Yeah.”

And then as if it’d just occurred to them that they were supposed to go for lunch with two other people, the duo in front simultaneously glanced over their shoulders. For a moment there, they actually looked worried.

“We’re going to leave you guys behind if you’re so slow, you know!” Aomine called over, sounding like he didn’t mean it at all. He and his companion had stopped in their tracks to let the two behind them catch up.

“We’re coming!” Momoi shouted back before moving to clasp Kagami’s hand with both her own. “Let’s go, Kagamin.”

_Kagamin_? Before Kagami could ask who gave her the right to call him by that ridiculous nickname, he was yanked forward, and all his concentration went to keeping himself from tripping and falling face first on the ground. His irritation over the matter, however, did not last long. Because the image of them was still lingering in his mind; the merry sparkle in their eyes, the remnants of a faint smile spread over their lips.

They had looked so happy.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys I'm so sorry for the late and probably lame update f;aksjdf;kas

All Kuroko got for himself was a simple cup of vanilla milkshake.

Kagami, on the other hand, bought about a trillion cheeseburgers.

Even Aomine - Aomine, who was also a growing teen standing at the same height with about the same build with the redhead - had to stare at his tray in disbelief. _Seriously?_ Did the guy intend to build a mini pyramid of burgers? How the hell does he even gorge down that ridiculous amount of food? And there Aomine was thinking he was a pretty big eater with five burgers and two packets of fries on his tray. He’d been so wrong he wanted to cry.

“That all you’re eating?” Kagami asked Kuroko once they’d settled down onto the seats by the window, sounding incredulous. Like _he_ had the right to use that tone of voice. Kuroko took his time to take a big sip of shake and savor the taste before answering.

“This will be enough for me,” he said, then proceeded to knit his eyebrows at the mound of burgers on the redhead’s tray. “And is it really necessary for Kagami-kun to get that many?”

“Hm?” Kagami was already biting into a bun. “This’ll barely last me until dinner tonight, trust me.”

“What _are_ you?” Aomine asked in mock horror, pointing a fry at him. But really. The guy must’ve had some insane metabolism rate to not be overweight despite consuming that much food.

“Just one hell of a hungry guy, I guess.” Kagami only shrugged as a response.

Aomine said nothing more, choosing to peel the wrapping of his terayaki burger and start eating his fill. He figured he’d only give himself indigestion if he kept the conversation going on. So swallowing his pride, he shut up and focused on eating. Once he and the redhead had quieted down, silence befell the group - though not one that was uncomfortable. None of them were keen on choking to death or biting their tongue and all that. And it did feel pretty pleasant sitting peacefully together like that. Truth to be told, Kuroko honestly didn’t think Kagami could’ve gotten along so well with his childhood friend. Sure, they acted as if they were constantly trying to provoke each other into an argument or a fight, but Kuroko guessed that was because both of them just weren’t those sappy type of people. He was sure Momoi could see it too; how at ease Daiki looked even when casually hanging out with Kagami now. After everything that’d happened to him, Aomine usually took some time to warm up the slightest bit to a stranger. But with Kagami, all it took was a few hours, and many basketball matches.

_He’s seriously a basketball idiot, huh?_ Kuroko thought fondly to himself as he took another sip of the gloriously wonderful vanilla shake. He wasn’t even sure why he loved the drink so much but that wasn’t exactly the point. The point was that the Daiki he knew had yet to completely disappear, and that alone made him so utterly relieved and glad that it was all he could do to keep himself from smiling all over like a psycho. Kuroko’s eyes shifted from the table to the person across him, who, happened to be the biggest eater Kuroko had met in his life besides one other  person whom he was sure eats a lot more given how he used to be constantly chewing on something almost all the time. He watched as Kagami inhaled burger after burger, making it look as if there wasn’t even a need to chew before swallowing. Kuroko had mixed feelings about seeing him eat so much. He wasn’t exactly sure if he should feel amazed or confused or queasy. Eating so much was something he was sure he could and would never do in his life.

“You sure you’re okay with just that, Tetsu-kun?” Momoi asked after a while once Kuroko had finished his drink and set the empty paper cup aside. Among the four gathered around the table, she was the only one with the normal amount of edibles on her tray. She didn’t believe in starving to keep her weight in check. “I can treat you to something if you want, you know. I don’t think that’ll be enough to last you even for a few hours, let alone until you get back.”

“Thank you, Momoi-san, but I’ll be alright,” Kuroko assured because really, he’ll be fine. He could even go on without food for a day or two if he needed to. It wasn’t like he was deliberately not wanting to eat or anything; he just didn’t feel hungry. He didn’t see the point in making himself eat when there wasn’t a need to.

“You probably won’t,” Momoi insisted before abruptly getting on her legs, scrunching up the wrapper of her finished burger with a determined expression on her face. “You’re okay with a cheeseburger, right? Be right back.”

She was gone before Kuroko could even react. 

“She’s always like that; deciding things on her own without caring how it’d make the people around her feel.”

Kuroko turned to face the person who spoke, raising an eyebrow. Aomine had his gaze trained outside the window while he broodingly chewed on his food. If Kuroko had been spacing out, he wouldn’t even have realized he’d said anything at all.

“Isn’t that the reason why you still haven’t gone overboard with your antics yet, Daiki-kun?” he said, folding his arms on the table and leaning forward to readjust his posture. Aomine did not say anything to deny that, instead choosing to glare at him in silent indignity. Kuroko calmly returned his stare, daring him to retaliate. The only reason Aomine was still hanging on was because of how headstrong of a girl Momoi was, that was something that couldn’t be contradicted. It was the truth, and Aomine of all people should know that the best.

“You’ll probably be in the streets doing drugs or something by now if it wasn’t for her,” Kagami agreed, his words partially muffled by the burger over his mouth. The boy in question sighed, raking his clean hand through his hair.

“I don’t want to be told that by someone’s who’s halfway stuffing himself with enough food to feed a village in poverty,” he muttered, almost wearily. Kagami didn’t respond; either he didn’t hear him, or he just couldn’t be _bothered_ to. It was probably the latter. Aomine heaved another sigh and rested his elbow on the table, idly chewing on a fry. Great. Now the whole world was antagonizing him.

Oh, wait. Not like _that_ hadn’t happened already. He tried not to mind his companion’s words too much. Unlike the people he’d met in the past, what they said were true, as much as he hated to admit it. He’d been depending so much on his childhood friend without ever realizing it. Rather, it was more like he refused to realize it. Acknowledging that Momoi had played such a big role in his life equaled to acknowledging the fact that he’d placed so much burden on a single girl’s shoulders. And that equaled to acknowledging the fact that he was one weakass jerk who couldn’t even take care of his own behind.

“Here you go, Tetsu-kun.”

Momoi’s voice nearly startled Aomine out of his reverie with a jump, but the latter managed to keep his surprise in check. He tried hard to stop his raging heartbeat as he watched the girl place a neatly wrapped burger before Kuroko, taking in breaths just deep enough not to show.

“Thank you, Momoi-san,” Kuroko said, looking up. “Though it wasn’t necessary, really.”

“Nonsense.” Momoi waved her hand in dismissal, returning to her seat beside the pale boy. “It’ll do you good to eat a little more.”

“You won’t grow if all you take for lunch is a vanilla shake.” Aomine saw the chance and took it, and this time, it was Kuroko’s turn to do the glaring. Height and growth were.. rather _sensitive_ issues for him, you could say.

“I do eat normally on any other day, just so you know,” he said, a tinge of sulkiness in his voice.

“Only then it’s still less everybody else’s portion,” Aomine pointed out, reaching to unwrap his second last burger. “I’ve seen you eat, Tetsu. There’s no use trying to lie.”

“I’m not lying,” Kuroko protested weakly, his mouth set into slight pout. Seeing that, Aomine tried hard to keep a straight face. He’d forgotten how amusing it was to tease him.

“Yes, but you’re hiding the truth,” he managed to say evenly, watching as the boy seated across him grudgingly unwrapped his food and take a bite.

“Kagami-kun’s eating my fill for me, anyway,” Kuroko muttered into his burger, and Kagami - who, somehow managed to catch his words - promptly choked at how ridiculous that statement had been.

“Seriously, Kuroko? _Seriously_?” he demanded incredulously. “That doesn’t make any sense and you know it.”

Kuroko kept quiet, averting his eyes as he chewed on the combination of bread, meat and vegetable. Truth to be told, he never really fancied eating fast food in the first place. His favorite were, of course, still Matron’s cooking at home, but since Momoi had gone as far as treating him, Kuroko was afraid he was too polite to decline. She was just doing it for his sake, he knew. Even if he wasn’t hungry, he should at least fill his stomach a bit. He was still growing. He needed the nutrients or else he’ll end up as the shortest guy in the orphanage in the near future.

He didn’t want that. He didn’t want that at all.

“See? That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” Momoi smiled happily at the sight of Kuroko chowing down with newfound vigor. She then slipped into a brief moment of silence, properly taking in the image of the boy next to her for the first time that day. She immediately noticed the signs of exhaustion; the bags under his eyes, the way his shoulders slumped slightly forward despite his efforts to keep his posture right. “But that aside, are you getting enough rest, Tetsu-kun?”

Kuroko stopped midway from taking another bite, his gaze flickering to glance at her sideways. “Enough for me to go on with everyday life,” he answered, and Kagami snorted from across the table, earning himself some raised eyebrows at his direction.

“ _Barely_ enough would be more appropriate, don’t you think?” the redhead blurted out blatantly, scrunching up the wrapper of his last burger and letting it fall back into his tray. Kuroko shot him a warning look which he pretended not to see.

“It’s not good to push yourself too hard,” Momoi chided at once, not at all doubting Kagami’s words because the truth in them was obvious, really. “You should really take a break sometimes or else you’ll collapse one day, Tetsu-kun.”

“I can take care of myself,” Kuroko assured, resisting the urge to break into a sigh. Why was everyone always so worried that he’ll one day overdo things and let his health be affected? He wasn’t _that_ careless. He knew his limits. If he really was on the verge on fainting, he’d do something about it. There wasn’t a need for his friends to be so darned concerned, jeez.

“Why do you need to use so much energy, anyway?” Aomine inquired, genuinely curious. “I mean, it’s not like you’re the only one old enough to help out in the orphanage.”

“Well, my job is to wake up early in the morning and cycle around town, so there’s that,” Kuroko said after swallowing his last bite of food. “I’ll be up and around all the way until night after that.”

“You don’t even take short breaks in the afternoons?” Momoi asked, sounding increasingly agitated. “Is it school activities?”

Kuroko shook his head, his hands moving to neatly fold the waxed paper into a tiny rectangle. “I have to help Matron out with the chores and take care of the younger ones after school. Shigehiro-kun is always there to help, so it actually isn’t as bad as it sounds.”

“Still,” Momoi was reluctant to let the subject drop.

“I’m fine,” Kuroko insisted, shooting the girl a look that told her that was final. He was alright, and _that_ was that. His expression then softened when Momoi pursed her lips and glanced away, resembling a child who was about to burst into tears after being reprimanded. Kuroko reached out, and gently patted the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Momoi-san. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh,” he said softly, then allowing a small smile to grace his lips. “But thank you very much for worrying about me.”

At that, Momoi promptly brightened up. It wasn’t that she was simply easily swayed by his words (not _completely_ , anyway) that she recovered so fast. It was because she was genuinely happy, overjoyed that the person seated beside her was still the Tetsu-kun she knew and left behind in the past. From the way he patted her head to the tone of voice he used to cheer her up. In many ways, he hadn’t changed at all, and she was glad for that. There were some things that were better left as they were.

“Ah.” Kuroko started after a short pause, twisting to reach into the pocket of his pants. He pulled out his ringing cellphone and flipped it open, checking to see who it was. “It’s Matron.”

“You better answer it then,” Momoi said, moving to make way for Kuroko to step out. The latter nodded, standing up and shuffling his way through.

“Please excuse me for a moment.”

He accepted the call as he headed for the exit of the lively restaurant. As soon as he stepped foot outside and away from the warmth of heaters, he once again was reminded of the fact that it was still winter and that it was still freezing. Kuroko tried to keep the cringe away from his voice as he spoke.

“Hello?”

“Tetsuya-kun?” Matrons’ voice sounded from the other side of the line, the worry obvious in her tone. “How’s it going over there? Are you boys having lunch now? You didn’t give me an update so I got worried and-“

“We were just having burgers together,” Kuroko told her, attempting to calm her down. It wouldn’t be too good for her to get overly worked up. And it was his fault for forgetting anyway. He’d been so caught up with the flow of events that it just slipped his mind. Oops. “I apologize for not calling.”

Matron breathed a big sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I was worried for a second there that you’d be too preoccupied to even take a short break.”

“We’re doing fine here,” Kuroko assured her, leaning against a wall. He inhaled, and let out a slow, long breath. “Even Daiki-kun.”

He then proceeded to tell her everything; from Momoi’s explanation on Aomine’s situation to the amazing one-on-one matches between Kagami and the latter. He told her how much he thought Daiki had changed the first time they met again, and he told her how he’d eventually found out that that wasn’t the case at all. He told her about how Daiki seemed to have given up on the one thing he loved with all with life, and how he’d ended up falling in love with it all over again. Because of Kagami. Because of the redhead’s insistency that led them to playing again and again and again.

Kagami.

As he spoke on, Kuroko realized how much he owed Kagami for all he had done. Sure, he was the one who said that he was doing it purely for himself after losing in the first game, but still. If it wasn’t for him, Kuroko’s efforts would’ve gone nowhere even if he did manage to gather enough courage to travel alone. Aomine would still be in the dumps no matter how hard he tried to talk him.

Daiki would not have smiled so genuinely again.

Kuroko didn’t mean to have relied so much on the redhead, but wow. Kagami had done so much. How was he going to return the favor? He could be his servant for his entire life and still feel indebted to him. Then came another realization. It had always been like this between the two of them. It was always one trying to return the other’s favor. This sort of friendship.. was it really the stable sort? Was it right that they were helping each other out simply because they felt obligated to? The thought made Kuroko uncomfortable, and he decided to save the thinking for later. He’d have plenty of time to dwell on this later.

“It’s great that you’re all getting along well.” There was a strange ring to Matron’s voice when she spoke right after he stopped, one which Kuroko was unable to identify. Was it wistfulness? It sounded a little like that, but he couldn’t be sure.

“I can pass the phone to Daiki-kun, if you want,” Kuroko said, already heading towards the side of the restaurant where the window seats were. Through the thick, transparent glass, he could see his three companions busy being immersed in a conversation that seemed to include lots of laughs and blushing and indignant looks. Kuroko wondered how Matron did it; being able to guess the progress of their relationship so accurately despite only being able to hear it being described in his words.

“No, it’s alright. Won’t want to bother you children or anything,” Matron replied, sounding not exactly that convincing. She had raised Daiki for some time too. Of course she’d want to know how he was getting on.

“Just hold on for a while. I’m calling him over.” And ignoring Matron’s string of protests, Kuroko reached out, and knocked on the glass, hoping he’d able to get the attention of any one of his friends inside. Fortunately, Aomine happened to glance out at that moment and noticed him. He raised an eyebrow questioningly, and Kuroko only motioned for him to go outside, pointing to the device in his hand. To his relief, Aomine got the message, and in less than a minute, he was next to him in the cold.

Kuroko passed him the phone. “Matron wants to have a word with you.”

For once, Aomine looked truly nervous. “What should I say?” he asked in a whisper. Kuroko shrugged, like, _figure that out yourself_ , before moving to re-enter the warm embrace of the indoors, leaving a bewildered Daiki staring after him. Whatever words they chose to exchange between them was not his business.

“Daiki-kun’s speaking with Matron now,” Kuroko explained in reply to his companions’ curious looks as soon as he got back to his seat. He noticed that their trays were all cleared away, leaving the tabletop seem strangely empty after all the stuff they’d placed there. Momoi raised her eyebrows, glancing outside in unrestrained curiosity. Aomine was standing directly outside at the same spot as where Kuroko had left him, turned away with his back facing them.

“I wonder what they’re talking about?” Momoi mused aloud before perking up a little later, a thought popping up. She felt ashamed that she was only going to ask this after so long, but hey. Better late than never, right? She averted her attention back inside to the boy beside her. “Which reminds me. How’s she doing these days? Matron, I mean.”

“Same as ever, I guess,” Kuroko answered, leaning against the back of his chair and turning to meet the girl’s eyes. “She’s still the same strong, reliable woman she was all those years ago. But she’s also getting old, and the problems that arose these few years exhausted her quite badly both physically and emotionally. It’s better now with the older ones helping out.”

“Is it financial problems?” Momoi guessed, and Kuroko nodded silently. “Now that I think of it, you did mention that your job was to wake up earlier than everyone else.”

“I meant it literally,” Kuroko said, then unintentionally letting out a yawn. “I work part-time as a paperboy.”

Momoi’s expression made it obvious that this was news even to her. “Since when?”

“Around three years ago.”

She then proceeded to silently stare at him, her eyes wide and her eyebrows arched high. He’d been pushing himself every day for so long already? Momoi knew better than anyone else about her Tetsu-kun’s iron will, but _wow_. It could’ve have been easy on a frail, thinly eleven-year old boy to rush all around town while dragging hundreds of newspapers with him. The fact that he still had yet to quit and find another job was enough of a reason to make Momoi not regret spending all her life admiring the boy named Kuroko Tetsuya. She and Aomine weren’t the only ones who had to face countless hurdles in life during their years away from the orphanage. In his own way, Kuroko had been trying just as hard.

“Must’ve been tough.”

The one who spoke was not Momoi, but Kagami. Kuroko’s gaze flickered to the redhead, the look in his face impossible to read. Honestly, he’d been so silent all along that Kuroko didn’t expect him to make any comments at all.

“It was,” Kuroko admitted, his voice softening by a fraction. He was used to it now, but when he first started working, there had been more than one occasion when he’d wanted to just give up and rely on the others for a just little longer. He couldn’t do it, couldn’t bear to push himself to his breaking point. He was worried that his body wouldn’t be able to take the stress and would just stop functioning one day if he kept on straining it. He wasn’t forced to work and he still hadn’t reached the age requirement to help support the family back then, so he had a choice.

And he chose to ignore all doubts concerning himself, and shoulder the responsibility to help Matron. He’d decided that his own wellbeing didn’t matter as long as he could be of help, as long as he could play his part in lightening the burden of the lady who raised him. So what if he collapsed? So what if he had to bear a little stress? All that didn’t matter, didn’t _have_ to matter. The comfort of his family came first in his priority list.

“Ah, welcome back, Dai-chan,” Momoi’s voice broke the silence that befell them. Instinctively, the other two turned to see Aomine returning to their table. When he passed his phone back to him, Kuroko blinked. Was it just him, or Daiki seemed to be slightly more withdrawn now compared to how he was before? And then there were his eyes. It was hard to notice since it was only at the corners, but Kuroko happened to see it when the boy in question averted his eyes away.

They were tinged red.

As if knowing that Kuroko had noticed, Aomine shot the shorter boy a glare, as if saying ‘I’ll kill you if you say anything.”

“Dude, you crying?”

Aomine’s glare was instantly redirected to Kagami - who, was so blunt about it that Kuroko fought back the urge to pull him aside and talk to him about the importance of delicacy in life. Despite his tough exterior, Aomine was actually a pretty sensitive guy - especially when it came to his pride as a man.

“The wind outside just stung my eyes,” Aomine said with finality, and no more questions were asked. Kuroko couldn’t help wondering to himself what Matron had said to him to actually leave him - him, _the_ Aomine Daiki - on the verge of tears. He figured it probably didn’t take much to do that. Sometimes, nostalgia could melt even the coldest of hearts. All Matron needed to do was to say a few right words and that was it. Heck, even the sound of her voice was probably enough. His heart would constrict, the memories would come flooding into his mind. The forgotten yearning for the past would just come crashing back, and the tears would just well up on their own, whether he liked it or not. It was not something he should be ashamed of, Kuroko wanted to tell him that. It wasn’t something he could help.

“Anyway, are you guys done?” Momoi was wise enough to change the topic before the mood between them could deteriorate. She stood up, casting her gaze on her companions one by one.“We should go if we are. Won’t want to disrupt people’s business by hogging the table when we’re not using it.”

“Momoi-san’s right,” Kuroko agreed. He too, got on his feet. There were better places to hang out at than in a restaurant during lunch hour. It wouldn’t be fair both to the staff and the other customers who were waiting for empty seats. “We should leave if we’ve finished eating.” He looked at Kagami and raised an eyebrow for confirmation. “Have we?”

Kagami leaned back, grinned, and patted his stomach in satisfaction. “Yep.”

“We’re going to the street court down the road, right, Dai-chan?” Momoi asked as she slipped out of her seat and stood aside to make way for Kuroko. “Since school’s probably already locked up and all.”

Aomine was spacing out so badly that Kagami had to elbow him at the ribs to bring him back to his senses.

He winced, then blinked as if coming out of a trance. “H-Huh?”

“She asked if we’re going to the street court nearby to continue our game,” Kagami deadpanned, but he did not comment on his lack of attention. Kagami might be dense enough to sink in mercury, but even he could read the atmosphere, eventually. Aomine was human too, no matter how much of a douchebag he was or how good he was at basketball. He wasn’t spared from feeling emotions. Kagami was pretty sure he would be reduced to an emotional mess too if he were to suddenly hear the voice of someone precious to him again after many, many years of being separated. Aomine needed the space and time to regain his composure.

“Yeah. Sure.” Aomine’s response was none the more attentive, but his companions left it as that. They gathered their things, and after making sure they’d left nothing important behind, the four headed to the exit, weaving their way through the crowd. There were so many people around them, it was actually beginning to feel difficult to breathe. _So this is how it is in city restaurants during the busy period_ , Kuroko thought to himself as he tried his best not to lose sight of his friends while he pushed his way through by using the flow of the crowd to his advantage. His efforts were in vain, however, when he ended up being the only one standing outside, the other three nowhere to be seen.

Kuroko pulled his coat on as he looked around, attempting to figure out if he was the only one who’d successfully exited first or if the others just went back inside looking for him after realizing that he was missing. Really, he could’ve just given one of them a call, but since they’d end up outside again either way, he decided not to waste any phone credit on that. Adjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder, he stood to one side in order not to block the road (not that many will realize banging onto him, anyway), and watched the people going in and out of the place, happily chatting among their friends or family. Oddly, the scene before him gave off a peaceful feeling, despite all the noise. It would be really eerie if this sea of people were to be completely silent.

What caught Kuroko’s attention was a particularly loud and cheery voice, calling a name that reminded him of an old friend. Out of curiosity, he craned his neck to look for the owner of the voice, half wondering if such a coincidence actually existed. If that person really was here of all places, of all times.

And then he saw him, the bespectacled teen that towered over a majority of the crowd; his green hair making him stand out even more than he already did. At his side was a shorter teen with black hair, and apparently he was the one with the obnoxious voice. Oh. So it really _was_ him. Kuroko couldn’t help feeling a little amused by the fact that _he_ of all people had actually managed to find a friend he was comfortable around enough with to hang out together like that.

As Kuroko contemplated on whether or not to head over to greet him, the raven glanced toward his direction by pure chance, and - to his surprise - _saw_ him.

“Hey, Shin-chan,” the boy said, abruptly stopping in his tracks and reaching out to grab at the sleeve of his taller companion to halt him as well. “That guy’s staring at you. Someone you know?”

“Even if he or she is, Takao, there isn’t a need for you to raise your voi-“ The green-haired teen turned to chide his companion, and promptly trailed off as soon as he realized who the latter meant. His eyes widened in surprise as he stared in disbelief, and his mouth went slightly agape. What was _he_ doing here?

Kuroko raised a hand and waved. Might as well do it properly now that they’d noticed each other.

“Hello, Shintarou-kun.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the lateness, guys ;u;. Life's just getting busier and busier for me and not only do I find myself lacking the time and inspiration to just sit down and write, I get frequent and really, really huge blocks. So even if I do have the time, I usually just can't get the words or ideas out. I'm really, really sorry.
> 
> I also apologize that Midorima's scene turned out so short and insignificant. As I said, I had an incredibly horrible block. Frankly, I have no idea what else should I do for him even now lol
> 
> thanks so much for still staying with me! fasj;f

Kagami wondered who the green haired guy was.

He wouldn't have bothered to push his way back into that monstrosity of a crowd to look for Kuroko - who, he was sure would eventually show up anyway - if it wasn't for Momoi shoving him inside without giving him a chance to protest. He'd brushed past so many bodies now that he was sure he was about to develop a case of mysophobia. He heaved a sigh, and summoned the last of his willpower to propel himself back outside where his personal space was finally respected. He looked around, and the other two with him were nowhere in sight. Maybe they were still in there? Either way, he was not returning there. Not again. Not ever. In fact, he thought he should just stay at home most of the time after this.

Kagami was admittedly not looking at where he was going when he bumped into the guy. In his defense, looking for his friends was kind of his priority at the moment. He muttered an apology as he took a step back, only to see a person about his height glaring at him with a look like he just made him step on dog poo. Kagami was sure he did no such thing so he raised an eyebrow at him, and he was about to ask what was his problem when he heard his name being called.

"Kagami-kun."

The redhead started, his eyes immediately darting around in search for the owner of the voice. Kuroko was already difficult to find normally, but combined with the presence of such a large number of people, it was almost impossible to spot him. Kagami couldn't help starting to wonder if it had only been his imagination. Maybe he really wasn't there after all?

"Kagami-kun," he heard again, and this time, he was positive he didn't imagine it because following the call of his name, was a tug on his sleeve. Kagami braced himself before looking down, and Kuroko materialized right next to him. He thought he was mentally prepared for this, but he could still feel his heart skipping a beat when the shorter boy appeared. This will kill him one day, he was sure.

"A friend of yours?" the green-haired boy Kagami bumped into asked after a moment of studying the duo in silence. Kagami belatedly realized he was directing his inquiry to Kuroko.

"Yes," Kuroko answered with a nod, ignoring his disapproving tone of voice. "Kagami-kun accompanied me here to look for Daiki-kun." He then turned to the redhead. "Kagami-kun, this is Midorima Shintarou-kun. He's an old friend of mine."

"From the orphanage?" Kagami asked, eyeing the guy in question because was there really a need to look at him like that? All he did was walk into him by accident. Kagami vaguely remembered seeing a green-haired guy in the picture back at the orphanage. The two of them were about to start an all out glaring showdown when someone with a very loud, very obnoxious voice spoke up.

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ \- chill out guys! You'll scare the other customers away!"

Kagami hadn't noticed this guy earlier because Midorima was standing between them. The teen was around Kuroko's height, and to Kagami's unexplainable relief, he did not have colorful hair. Kagami watched in a mixture of confusion and amusement as the newcomer stepped over with a grin and practically yanked his friend into a bow.

"I apologize on Shin-chan's behalf for silently judging you so hard," he said, though it was difficult to tell from his sing-song voice whether he meant it or not. "But he's born with that face, I can almost ensure you."

"He was," Kuroko confirmed, almost teasingly, and this time, he was the focus of Midorima's stare.

"Well, excuse me for being born with an unnerving look," he sighed as he swatted his companion's hand away and straightened up, reaching to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He sounded like he was very tired of being surrounded by idiots. Kagami abruptly noticed two things: 1) the fingers on his left hand were bandaged 2) he had some sort of a giant puppy plushie tucked under his arm. His brain short circuited. Okay. _What_.

"Nahh, we all know it's not Shin-chan's fault," the raven said lightly, returning his hand to his side. He didn't seem to mind at all that he'd probably just pissed Midorima off more than he already was. Then again, he was probably half the reason why the green-haired teen was in such a grumpy mood.

"Shut up, Takao," Midorima muttered, though the tone of his voice lacked bite. Kagami guessed from the looks of it that the two of them had been sticking together for a long, long time.

"Where's Daiki-kun and Momoi-san?" Kuroko asked Kagami as he proceeded to blissfully ignore the other two who'd started an argument consisting of lots of teasing and passive aggressive retorts.

"Don't know," the redhead shrugged helplessly. "I've been looking for them ever since I managed to get out of that place."

"Maybe we should give them a call?" Kuroko suggested, casting his gaze around in an attempt to spot his friends among the sea of people.

"Got their number?" Kagami asked, joining in the search. He was glad he had the height advantage. At least he had some fresher air.

"Momoi-san gave hers to me earlier." Kuroko dug into his pockets for his cellphone. He flipped the rectangular device open and promptly scrolled down his contacts list, searching for the girl's name. He found it a little while later and selected it, turning away as the call connected. "Excuse me for a minute."

In contrast to Kuroko's soft, calm voice, Momoi's voice was loud on the other side of the line and she was obviously freaking out really bad. Kuroko tried to assure her that he was still alive as he inquired about their location. Kagami kept an eye on their surroundings just in case the two of them happened to walk pass or whatever.

"Momoi-san says they're coming out now," Kuroko said after a moment, snapping his phone shut before returning it to his pocket. He knitted his eyebrows slightly. "Apparently, Daiki-kun got distracted by a group of college girls."

Kagami couldn't even bring himself to make any comments at that. He wasn't even _that_ surprised, to be honest. Kagami wasn't one to judge, but one look at Aomine and he could guess he was the type who already had porn mags under his bed by the age of twelve. He'd seen the way he looked at those older female pedestrians with large boobs. Aomine was a pervert and was not afraid to show it.

"I see that Daiki is uncouthly as ever."

Kuroko glanced at Midorima out of the corner of his eye. The latter was frowning with distaste. "I suppose."

Midorima then breathed a sigh, as if he'd somehow expected this. He once again reached to readjust his glasses, though Kagami could see nothing wrong with how they were initially. It was probably a habit of his.

"He'll get into more trouble some day if he continues like this," he murmured, mostly to himself. His companion - Takao - arced his eyebrows significantly, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Shin-chan's worried about someone?" he exclaimed in mock horror, beaming playfully. The taller boy glowered at him, but he took no notice of that.

"Shintarou-kun doesn't look like it, but he's actually really nice," Kuroko said, remembering the times when the green-haired boy used to be the one that always lent him his books or toys when they were younger. He was also always the one to accompany him whenever he sat out of games he was sure he couldn't play. Shintarou had always been the cool-headed one of all of them; a stark contrast compared to the always energetic Shigehiro, Daiki, and Ryouta. He was always the party pooper, always the one to exclude himself from whatever games or activities he deemed a waste of time and effort. He was always the model student; smart, hardworking and just.

And Kuroko had to admit: he was the only one he particularly couldn't get along with most of the time when it came to things other than books or Oha Asa's lucky items.

Midorima had been obsessed with horoscopes and such ever since he saw that daily horoscope show one morning. He'd been diligently collecting items that could improve his luck and performance daily since then, and Matron nearly had a fit once trying to figure out where to put everything he had without taking up more space than they already did. Kuroko could see that he hadn't changed in that aspect; since he was proudly holding on to a stuffed animal at the moment. Anyway, the main reason they couldn't get along well was - as said so by the guy himself many times before - because Midorima could never understand Kuroko's stubbornness when it came to certain things. Even now. Kuroko could tell that he was failing to comprehend why he'd go to such lengths for the sake of a friend who had practically left him behind to go on with life.

Besides, Cancers and Aquarius's just weren't supposed to get along. Or at least according to the horoscopes.

"I know," Takao agreed, patting his companion's arm as if he were a proud parent. His stopped after a few pats, his expression turning more sober. "But sadly, he doesn't know how to show it most of the time."

"He's always been like that," Kuroko assured. "So please don't worry yourself too much over that."

Midorima cleared his throat deliberately, as though trying to remind them that he was still there. Kagami wasn't sure whether to feel amused by the conversation or to pity the guy in question. He was careful to stay in the neutral zone in case anything broke out. He was wary of getting too involved with Kuroko's childhood friends by now.

"I'm still standing right here, you know," Midorima said when his first few attempts ended up as failures. Kagami got the feeling that the other two were doing it on purpose to get on his nerves, but he couldn't be entirely sure. He wasn't good in reading situations in the first place, and the casualness Kuroko and Takao radiated only made it harder to tell if it was a joke or not.

"Well, if it wasn't Tarou-kun!"

Midorima tensed up at the sound of that baritone voice, closing his eyes before heaving a deep, dreading sigh. He seemed to be gathering the willpower to resist the urge to walk away any second now before opening his eyes again, turning to face the person who'd spoken. Kagami followed suit, watching as Aomine and Momoi sauntered their way over. Momoi's face was lit up with a bright smile at the sight of the green-haired teen, while Aomine had a sort of look on his face like he was silently laughing at Fate's strange ways.

Midorima narrowed his eyes at the tanned boy, reaching to once again push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He did not look the slightest bit impressed.

"Daiki," he greeted, his voice carefully kept leveled. "I'm pretty sure I told you not to call me that a thousand times before."

"Really?" Aomine's tone was contradictory to his question. "It's been a while so you don't really expect me to remember, do you?"

"I suppose not," Midorima said, adjusting his hold on his lucky item. "I'd forgotten how much of an idiot you are."

"Now you're making it sound as if I still am one," Aomine splayed his hand dramatically over his chest, feigning hurt in his voice. "And it's our first meeting in years!"

"If you aren't an idiot then Tetsuya wouldn't have been compelled to come all the way here just to waste his time trying to talk some sense into you." Midorima's gaze sharpened into a glare. "Have you ever stopped even once to realize how much trouble you're causing to everyone around you?"

The amiability was abruptly gone from Aomine's face, replaced by a silence coolness that did nothing to mask his hostility. "Someone like you who has no idea what I'd been through has no right-"

"That would be enough," Kuroko interjected, deftly ambushing the two boys by jabbing their sides. Takao didn't even bother stifling his laughter when he saw Midorima bending over in pain as a result of Kuroko's assault. Aomine was in no better condition, and Momoi pretended not to see.

"This is not the place to start a heated argument," Kuroko chided, his voice steely calm. He looked like he wouldn't hesitate to hit them a second time if he had to. "But if you're both planning to go at each other anyway, then I suggest you do it through basketball."

Kagami personally thought that was a great way to cool the two of them down before things went out of control (provided Midorima didn't mind being crushed by a monster _or_ turned out to be a monster himself), but if Aomine was in favor of that, Midorima was sure as heck not. Well, not every person in the world had their lives ruled by basketball, he had to give it to that. Midorima regarded Aomine for a fraction of a second longer before turning away, clicking his tongue.

"Who would want to do something as meaningless as that?" he muttered, his words barely sounding coherent to the others. Kuroko let out a soft breath, though Kagami couldn't tell if it was out of relief or something else. Aomine, on the other hand, got slapped by Momoi on the back as soon as he recovered from Kuroko's attack.

"You deserved more than that, you know," she told him when he demanded for answers, crossing her arms across her chest. "You shouldn't be an ass the first thing to everyone you meet."

"What, is it Blame Daiki Day today or something?" Aomine complained loud enough for the whole world to hear. Fortunately, the whole world chose to ignore him and went on with their businesses.

"For all we know, it might be," Takao whispered and Kuroko shot him a look. The black haired teen raised his hands with his palms facing skywards, and shrugged, like _what did I say wrong?_ Kuroko stared at him some more, and as if coming to a silent understanding, Takao sighed, and slipped off and into the fast food restaurant, leaving the group to themselves. He might be obnoxious, but at least he wasn't dense when it mattered.

"Anyway," Kuroko spoke tentatively, carefully choosing his words so that they wouldn't be back to square one of their conversation. He directed his words at the bespectacled boy. "Thank you very much for your concern, Shintarou-kun, but I don't really mind coming here to see Daiki-kun, so please don't blame him for my actions. He has had his issues too. If coming here doesn't particularly bother me, then I think there's no reason why it shouldn't be the same for you."

At that, Midorima pursed his lips, averting his gaze to the side because Kuroko had a point there, he guessed. If the person himself paid no heed to having to do what he did, then neither should he. But still. Something about this just didn't feel right to him.

"Dai-chan should apologize to Shin-kun too," Momoi urged, giving the boy a push from the back to make him take a step forward.

"How come its fine for _you_ to call give him nicknames?" Aomine protested over his shoulder as he fought to maintain his balance and not fall face first onto the ground.

"I've got privileges," Momoi replied, a tinge of superiority in her voice. "And Shin-kun obviously likes me more than you."

"That, or he just got tired of correcting you."

"You're just jealous."

"I just want you to stop pushing me, to be honest."

"If the two of you are done now," Midorima coughed awkwardly, though he did sound a tad bit amused by their behavior. As much as he looked like he'd rather throw his collection of lucky items down a river than to admit it, they were still his friends during his childhood. They were the ones he grew up with until his current parents came and adopted him. They were the ones who'd insisted for him to join them in their various activities so that he wouldn't be the odd one out. They were the ones who'd played a part in making his childhood more colorful and filled with laughter and tears. He would be lying if he were to say he felt no attachment towards them at all.

Deep down, he missed them. That was a fact he couldn't deny.

"Daiki-kun should hurry up," Kuroko agreed. "Shintarou-kun needs his lunch and I think we shouldn't take up any more of his time."

"Fine, _fine_ , geez." Aomine grumbled, reaching to rub the back of his neck as he regained his footing. He refused to make eye contact with the bespectacled teen. "I'm sorry."

The last two words were barely coherent, but Midorima didn't seem to take that to heart. The look in his eyes softened by a fraction, and he said, "I was to blame for simply judging you too. I apologize."

Aomine shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants "So. No hard feelings?"

Midorima shrugged. "None at the moment."

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Momoi cut in before they could say anything else that could trigger yet another potential bicker.

"Indeed." Kuroko played along, also wary. "Now that that's over, it's time we take our leave."

"Take care of yourself okay, Shin-kun?" Momoi grabbed Midorima's hand and gave it a slight squeeze. "I'm sorry we can't stay to talk for a little while more. Feel free to give us a call some time."

"And feel free to call back home too," Kuroko added, meeting his eyes. "It'll be great if you could give us an update about everything every once in a while. Matron would definitely want to know how you're getting on."

Midorima considered his request, the guilt of not contacting the orphanage all these years suddenly settling in. "Tell her I said sorry when you go back. I'll call her and personally tell her that again when I get the chance."

"I will," Kuroko said, smiling softly. "And thank you."

"You better get going now," Momoi told Midorima, motioning to the restaurant behind them. "Your friend must be sick of waiting already."

"Though I doubt Takao-kun would have such little patience," Kuroko mused aloud, his smile turning wry. "Especially since he can put up with Shintarou-kun so well."

He watched in increasing amusement as a pinkish tint rose to Midorima's cheeks. Really, just how stubborn can this boy get?

"I-I guess." Midorima's efforts to contain his stammer were in vain. He nervously pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Anyway, I should go."

"See you around, Shin-kun!" Momoi waved as Midorima made his way into the restaurant. When he'd disappeared into the group within, she stopped and turned back to her companions. "Well. Shall we go too?"

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko called out to the redhead - who, had chosen to stand aside and immerse himself in an app in his phone after five minutes of awkwardly listening to their conversation. Kagami looked up at the sound of his name, arching this eyebrows. Kuroko motioned that it was time to go, and he promptly kept his phone, and headed over to rejoin them.

"Done?" he asked, trying his hardest not to sound too enthusiastic. It would be rude to imply that he was glad they were finally done talking and all.

"Yes," Kuroko said, sounding a little apologetic anyway. "You can go continue your game with Daiki-kun now."

Kagami huffed. "Alright, then."

Momoi patted Aomine's shoulder. "Lead the way, Dai-chan!"

**xXx**

Kuroko didn't think they'd still have so much energy left after their morning matches, but if anything, they were even more aggressive in their play now compared to earlier.

It didn't occur to him until they were nearing the streetball court that they did not have a basketball with them. His worries were solved, however, when Aomine magically produced one from his sports bag a little later to start warming up. Oh. No wonder it looked a little bulky the first time Kuroko saw it. He thought that was because it was filled with water bottles or something at first, but apparently it was more than that. Kuroko should've expected the tanned teen to bring a ball with him wherever he went.

It took Kagami and Aomine a game or two to regain their rhythm in their play, but once they'd found it, there was no stopping them. Kuroko once again found himself standing at the sidelines, watching as the two incredible players clashed in a sports battle almost too intense for his eyes to follow. They both had the ferocity of wild beasts, yet still managing to maintain that certain touch of grace in their movements. _They're amazing_ , Kuroko thought to himself for the umpteenth time that day while catching his breath. A game between two people who loved playing basketball more than anything in the world was simply breathtaking.

They used the system they'd agreed on in the morning: ten baskets per game, a five-minute break in between every match. Kuroko lost count on how many matches they'd played after the sixth one. Honestly, the speed of their pace made him dizzy. One minute they were going all out against each other and the next Kagami was demanding for another round. Kuroko wondered how the two of them could go on without fainting anytime soon.

Kagami didn't win once in the next two and a half hours they played - though he did come close once or twice. Kuroko knew it was one sided from the start, but that didn't stop him from holding on to a silent hope for Kagami to succeed; not just because it would do Aomine good to taste the pain of losing in a game for once in his life, but also because Kagami was trying so hard it was almost pitiful to watch. By the time Kuroko announced the end of their last game, the two players were utterly drenched in sweat, desperately gasping for breath. In fact, neither took any notice of the dirt and simply flopped on the ground in exhaustion. They were talented, but they still had limits to their stamina.

Momoi walked over and passed them each a can of Pocari Sweat she bought from the nearest vending machine with both her own money and Kuroko's. Kagami muttered his thanks while Aomine only made a weird grunting noise that made Momoi kick his arm. Them being drained was honestly no surprise. Kuroko figured that if he had been the one playing, he'd be out cold by the first thirty minutes.

"Nee, Kagamin," Momoi spoke up, skipping away from the proximity of Aomine's lazily swatting hand. "Do you happen to have a spare shirt with you or something? You'll catch a cold if you walk around soaked with sweat in this weather even if you have your jacket on."

Kuroko was already thinking of volunteering to head to the convenience store down the street to help get him one when Kagami huffed and said, "As a matter of fact, I do." The redhead swallowed once to ease the dryness in his mouth before pushing himself upright, pulling the collar of his shirt up to dry his face. "It's a habit," he explained, almost sheepishly. "Just in case, you know, I suddenly feel like joining someone in a game when I pass by a court."

Yep. Definitely another basketball idiot.

"Kuroko?" Kagami motioned to his bag placed at one side along with Aomine's. "Could you bring that over for me? It's embarrassing, but I don't think I can summon enough willpower to even stand up right now."

Kuroko brought it to him without making any comments. Kagami reached into his bag and produced a clean t-shirt. Without even stopping to think it over, he stripped himself of his soaked shirt on the spot, and dumping the garment on his lap, he donned the clean one in one swift motion. During the brief interval of time where Kagami was shirtless, Kuroko caught sight of the redhead's toned, well-developed muscles - products of his frequent training, surely - and it almost made him sad when he mentally compared them to his own. Kuroko figured he already looked like a thin, scrawny kid when standing next to Kagami. It didn't help his self-esteem for him to see the solid proof that he really _was_ a thin, scrawny kid.

"You should get changed too, Dai-chan." Momoi bent down and nudged Aomine's arm. With his arm draped over his eyes, Kuroko suspected he'd fallen asleep at first (it'd happened before), but the low, exaggerated groan that sounded from him soon after told him otherwise.

"A little cold won't kill me, Satsuki," Aomine mumbled in a half-hearted drawl. "Give me five more minutes to find the urge to move again."

"Note that I'm not going to bring you your homework or do your notes for you if you really do fall sick," Momoi said flatly, dropping his clean shirt which she'd retrieved from his bag onto his stomach. Aomine made a sound of protest which she ignored.

The sight of his childhood friends' antics made Kuroko feel strangely nostalgic, and he could feel a slight tug in his heart. He tried to push the feeling back as he fished for his phone to check the time. He'd told Matron that he'll be back for dinner, and to reach home by then, they would have to board the next train - which, according to the timetable he saw earlier at the station, was leaving in around twenty minutes.

Which meant it was about time for them to go.

Kuroko suddenly felt like he didn't want to leave, that he wanted this moment to last a little longer. He didn't know when will be the next time he would get to meet Aomine and Momoi again. He didn't know when will be the next time they'd be able to spend time together like this again. He didn't want it to be another four years, but who was he to decide?

It wasn't up to him.

Momoi must've read his face for once, because when she spoke, her voice was sad. "Tetsu-kun's going home already, right?"

Wordlessly, the boy nodded, returning his cellphone to his pocket. He didn't trust his voice at the moment. His throat already felt raw.

"It's alright, Tetsu-kun," Momoi said gently, walking over and taking both his hands in hers. Her eyes were moist. "You're always welcomed to come here again. Or even better - I'll make plans with Dai-chan and Shin-kun and see if we can visit the orphanage together some day. So don't look like you'll never see us again after this, okay?"

Kuroko managed to swallow the lump in his throat and nodded, gripping her hands. "Yes."

"Dai-chan, it's time for Tetsu-kun to go." Momoi turned to the boy still sprawled on the ground. "Let's go send them off at the station."

Aomine did not look like he had the slightest obligation to move. "Too much work. Go on without me."

"Dai-chan!" Momoi chided, truly beginning to lose her patience with the tanned teen. "Do this for Tetsu-kun's sake, jeez!"

"If Daiki-kun doesn't want to, then I don't think we should force him," Kuroko said, walking over to give Kagami a hand in standing up. "Since he's probably really tired and all."

"Are you trying to guilt me, Tetsu?" Aomine lifted his arm slightly and peered at the shorter boy, eyebrows knitted. Kuroko said nothing, only choosing to stare at him blankly. Aomine held his gaze for two seconds. Three. Then he heaved a defeated sigh, and slowly propped himself upright. "I forgot how good at this you were."

"Even I must be good at _something_ ," Kuroko said coyly as Aomine changed into his clean shirt and stood up yawning, making his way to retrieve the rest of his belongings.

"Why can't it be something more beneficial to the world?" Aomine protested, shoving his basketball and shirt into his bag before picking his jacket up to pull it on. "Like shutting Satsuki up, for example."

"Or he can learn how to shut you up instead," Kagami couldn't resist chiming in. "I'm sure he'll be great in doing that too."

"A person who hasn't won against me even after fifty attempts have no right to comment," Aomine said, smiling smugly at Kagami's indignant look. "Then again, I don't really blame you. It's not like I'll lose to anyone anytime soon."

"One day," Kagami swore, baring his teeth in a feral sneer. "You just wait."

Kuroko didn't know if he'd imagined it or not, but for a second there, Aomine genuinely looked like he was looking forward to that one day. That was progress. That meant Aomine was acknowledging Kagami as someone worth his time, someone worth playing against. And maybe, just maybe, Kuroko though, this was what he needed to help him love basketball again.

Maybe this was what he needed to help him get his life together again.

Maybe he'd made the right choice after all.

The street court was not that far off from the train-station. Kuroko had around ten minutes to will himself not to think of this reunion with his childhood friends as his last. Kuroko had been very close to both Aomine and Momoi in the past, and to make up for several years' of lost time with just a few hours was painfully measly. He'd moved on since they left, yes, but now that he was there, face to face with them, he found himself quite unwilling to let them go.

_But it's okay_ , he decided, taking a deep breath as he hugged Momoi for one final time at the ticket gates. They _will_ see one another again. He would make sure that happens, no matter what.

"Tetsu!"

Kuroko stopped in his tracks right after going through the gates and turned around, raising his eyebrows. Aomine had his fist outstretched towards him.

"Take care, okay?" he said, taking no notice of the judging stares of the people around who considered him as a hindrance to traffic. "And thanks. For everything."

At that, Kuroko smiled, and held out his own fist, as if bumping Aomine's through the air.

**xXx**

"Thank you so much for today, Kagami-kun."

Kagami shifted his gaze from out the window to the blue-haired teen seated beside him. "No big deal."

"Kagami-kun might not realize it, but you've done a lot," Kuroko said, staring into space with a strange look in his eyes. "So thank you. Again."

"I just did what I enjoyed," Kagami said. "So I'm not worth half the credit you're giving me, really."

"If you hadn't been such an amazing player, Daiki-kun might still be unfazed," Kuroko reasoned, glancing at the redhead out of the corner of his eye.

"I still lost, didn't I?" Kagami sighed, though it was more to out of exhaustion than defeat. "Not that I'll let myself be the loser forever."

"That's the spirit," Kuroko said, then stopped short when he heard a sound. "Is that your phone?"

"Huh?" Kagami dug into his bag for his cellphone. He'd kept it there during his matches with Aomine because having it in his pocket would just interfere with his movements. Besides, it'd be a pain if it fell out halfway through and broke. He found it at the very base of his bag and pulled it out, just as it stopped ringing. Kagami unlocked his home screen, and blinked blankly.

"Twenty miss calls," he muttered in ridicule, scrolling down the list. "All of them from home."

But despite his tone, Kuroko could tell that he was getting worried about this too. It was against social etiquette to talk on the phone while they were on the train, but Kagami wasn't one to care much about all that anyway. He redialed the number and waited for the call to get through, his finger anxiously tapping against his thigh.

The call connected, and although Kuroko could not catch everything they were saying, judging by the frantic tone of the person on the other side of the line and the way Kagami's face paled as he listened on, something must've happened. He had a very, very bad feeling about this.

Kagami ended the call after a minute or two, his expression akin to that of a confused child when their gazes met.

"It's my dad," he said in response to Kuroko's questioning look. He sounded like he wasn't sure what was going on anymore. "He collapsed while working just now and is now in the emergency ward."


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whelp guys this is so late im so sorry omg ;akfjd;aksdjf;kajsdf;kajsd
> 
> I've been busy with exams and another fic for the last month or so, so please forgive me ;u;
> 
> thanks so much if you're still following this! and of course, to those who are reading this for the first time, thank you for giving this fic a chance!
> 
> also, I'd like to apologize if this chapter is too short or bland ;u;. I'm really sorry. I'll try my best to try harder next time, I promise!

Kagami didn’t realize he cared so much about his father until he was running through the streets at top speed with a repeating prayer in his mouth.

The hospital was quite a distance from the station to travel on foot, but Kagami didn’t exactly care about that. Now that he thought of it, he’d practically dumped Kuroko at the station and sped off the moment the train came to a stop at the platform. It was rude of him, but he knew the guy wouldn’t blame him. Though he figured he really had to do something about that look of guilt on the shorter boy’s face. Knowing him, Kuroko would probably feel like everything’s his fault until Kagami convinced him otherwise.

It was only around five in the evening, but the sun had already set and  the sky was dark. The sun always disappeared early during winter. Cold wind prickled Kagami’s face and roared in his ears as he sprinted on, anxious to reach his dad and make sure that he was alright, that it was just something minor and would only confine him to the hospital bed for a few days before he was up and around again. He had to be alright, he _had_ to. With his mother gone, he was the only family Kagami had left. He couldn’t just leave his son to face the world alone like that! His son wasn’t ready! His son needed time to mentally and physically prepare himself!

Kagami arrived at the hospital breathless and panting, but he barely noticed his own exhaustion, choosing to head right over to the registration counter to demand for his father’s room number. When the nurse there told him that visiting hours were over, Kagami almost shouted that the one hospitalized was his goddamned _father_. Fortunately, he managed to hold himself back and instead used a more refined tone to explain himself. He even remembered to _thank_ her before making his way to the elevators.

It was easy to find his father’s ward because it was the only one with two stiff-looking bodyguards standing at the entrance. They did not even blink when Kagami stormed past them and into the disinfected room, his footsteps echoing through the silent hallway. His father’s butler met him the moment he stepped inside.

“Young Master Taiga,” he greeted, not one bit of his usual composure lost. “What took you so long? Where have you been?”

The calm and slightly accusing tone of his voice somehow managed to annoy Kagami, but he balled his fists, and kept his temper in check. He might not care much about manners, but even _he_ had enough sense not to start shouting like an idiot in a hospital.

“I was out with a friend,” he answered simply through clenched teeth, willing his annoyance to flare down. “More importantly, how is my father?”

He held the man’s gaze, silently daring him to question any further. The man stared at him for a moment longer, the look in his eyes somewhat calculating, and stepped aside.

“The Master had a minor heart attack,” he started, and Kagami nearly stopped to gape at him as he walked towards the bed at the other end of the room. He _what_? “But rest assured - he’s been through the worst of it. The Master is stable now.”

Kagami came to a stop. There his father was, tucked up neatly like a child during bedtime. Even out cold he still retained that scowl Kagami recognized as one he himself sometimes wore. But for him to have a heart attack, Kagami still found it pretty hard to believe. He was supposed to be indestructible or something! He skipped meals once in a while, but the things their cook whipped up were always healthy! He even frequently went for physical checkups to make sure his system wasn’t going to fail him anytime soon! 

“This is what you get for being a workaholic and not exercising enough, you stupid old man,” Kagami muttered under his breath, feeling a sudden surge of relief overwhelm him. His dad was fine. His dad was fine. He wasn’t going to leave him alone.

“Do you wish to stay here with him tonight, Young Master?” His father’s butler walked over and asked crisply. Kagami turned to regard him through the corner of his eye.

“Yeah. I want to be there when he wakes up so I can punch him in the face.”

**xXx**

It was all his fault.

The words kept repeating over and over and over again in his mind, taunting him ruthlessly and endlessly. It was his fault if something happened to Kagami’s father and he was not there. It was his fault if Kagami lost a final chance.

Kuroko knew he shouldn’t have asked the redhead to follow him. He _knew_ he shouldn’t! Yet, he still _did_. And now he regretted everything with all his heart. Because of him, because of his own selfish desires, someone else had to suffer. Kuroko had been worried about this the whole time before the trip, and now that it really had happened, he wanted to just disappear so he won’t ever be able to do that to another person again. Why was he always, _always_ causing trouble whenever he did something for himself?

His unhappiness must’ve shown on his face, because everyone in the orphanage was asking if he was alright throughout the whole night. Kuroko revealed nothing, only telling them that he was tired from running around. He couldn’t even tell Matron when she confronted him about it, asking if something happened between him and Daiki. Kuroko told her it was nothing of that sort, but he hadn’t been inclined to say anything else. He couldn’t. The burden was his alone to bear.

There was, of course, a certain person who simply refused to let the subject drop. Ogiwara always held on to the belief that talking was the best cure to relieving whatever that was bothering a person. But he also knew that pressuring Kuroko would only make him retreat further into his shell, so he waited until the shorter boy excused himself to go to bed early before proceeding with his attempt to help put him at least a little at ease.

“Tetsuya?” Ogiwara called out tentatively as he cracked the door open and peeked through the gap. “Can I come in?”

He took the silence he received as a yes, and stepped inside, rubbing his arms to warm them. Kuroko turned on his back and faced away from him, an obvious sign that he wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat, but Ogiwara went and sat on the edge of his bed anyway. He then stayed there quietly for the next five minutes, waiting to see if Kuroko himself was willing to say anything first. Though he doubted that, really. He was just as stubborn as _him_ when it came to certain things.

“Something’s making you upset,” Ogiwara finally spoke, twisting his body so that he was facing his friend. It was a statement that left his mouth, not a question.

Kuroko continued ignoring him. Ogiwara knew he wasn’t asleep; just unwilling to talk. He resisted the urge to sigh and facepalm. Why can’t this idiot ever learn that nothing good ever comes out of keeping his problems to himself like that? He knew he was only trying not to trouble everyone around him, but doesn’t he realize that he was not making things any better by looking so darned miserable? Sometimes, Ogiwara was very, _very_ done with his childhood friend.

“Tetsuya,” he said, a little more firmly. “It’s okay to tell me.”

“Just leave me alone, Shigehiro-kun,” came the said boy’s muffled reply, and Ogiwara rolled his eyes.

“As if I could do that when you’re acting like this,” he told him, not without a hint of special fondness in his voice. “Come on, Tetsuya. We’ve been through this a _million_ times. You can’t be like that forever.”

Kuroko only curled up further into a ball, and slipped back into silence. Ogiwara exhaled wearily. Looks like there won’t be any progress tonight even if he wanted. Perhaps Tetsuya will feel better tomorrow after a good night’s rest.

“Well, I’ll be outside if you need me,” he said and reluctantly stood up. He then headed to the door, and with a final glance over his shoulder, he left.

Kuroko hugged his knees under the blanket, wishing he could make himself smaller and smaller and smaller and finally become nothing altogether. Every single bit of joy and pleasure he felt from his reunion with Aomine was gone, replaced by nothing but guilt, guilt and guilt. Because not even an ‘I’m sorry’ would make things right again if it came to it. Kagami would hate him, and he in turn will hate himself forever for being a selfish prick.

Honestly, there were times when Kuroko really loathed how easily he could be overwhelmed by feelings of self-blaming.

Kuroko was startled when an odd noise suddenly sounded in the completely silent room. It was his cellphone, he realized a moment later. Not that he felt like answering it anytime soon. _But maybe it’s Kagami-kun,_ a voice in his head argued. Maybe the redhead was sending him a message to tell him it was his fault and all that. And maybe this was exactly was Kuroko needed to feel even the slightest better - to be blamed.

He turned, and reached for the device which he’d placed on the floor just at the foot of the bed. He flipped his phone open and squinted at the sudden harsh illumination emitted from the screen. He waited until his eyes have adjusted themselves before clicking on the envelope icon to open the text message he’d just received.

It _was_ from Kagami, but the contents were not as Kuroko had expected.

_My dad’s fine, so don’t worry! And don’t blame yourself too much, okay? Nothing’s your fault._

The whole thing was so short and awkward and so typically _Kagami_. And Kuroko felt as if the weight of the sky had just been lifted from his shoulders. Kagami’s father was alright. He knew it was his own peace of heart that made him feel so relieved rather than genuine concern for the man, but he couldn’t help himself because it’s not like he met the redhead’s father before or anything. He had honestly been more worried over the fact that he’d taken away Kagami’s final moments with his parent.

But now that he was told he didn’t, a wave of solace washed over him, intense enough to constrict his chest and make tears prick his eyes. Thank goodness, he thought over and over again, trying his hardest to stifle his sniffles as he ran the back of his hand over his eyes. _Thank goodness._

It wasn’t his fault after all.

**xXx**

The person he really had to apologize to, Kuroko knew, was Ogiwara.

He knew that the latter was only caring for him like he always was, and that he himself had been wrong to snap at him like that. Kuroko decided to wait until the next morning to say his apologies because he wasn’t very keen on explaining why he looked like he had just been watching a soap opera. He was still not willing to tell anyone about _that_.

Kuroko was just a block away from home after yet another morning of cycling around in the cold when he spotted a couple of figures exiting the orphanage, accompanied by Matron. They had visitors? Kuroko felt his heart skip a beat. He’d never liked visitors. It was fine if they turned out to be Matron’s old friends and the like, but he was always particularly scared of those who came with adoption papers. He knew that being adopted, in a way, was actually for their own good as it gave them a chance to have a proper family with proper parents and a proper home. He also knew that being adopted will reduce Matron’s burden to care for all of them.

But one of them being adopted also meant they were losing a member of their own family; their big, odd, and _frustratingly_ lovable family. Everyone treated one another as their very own sibling, and Matron as their one and only mother. To take one of them away was like taking away another’s brother, sister, daughter or son. Kuroko knew he was selfish to think so, but he’d seen Matron hiding in her room to shed silent tears whenever one of them officially got taken in into another family. He didn’t want to lose another person in _his_ family. Not anymore.

Kuroko took in a breath to clear out his negative thoughts, instead trying to focus on getting home faster instead. He cycled on, ignoring the familiar dull ache in his knees. He would know who those people were when he got home. It was always easy to tell if the visitors were just friends or couples looking for another child. Not that it was pleasant for him to be able to identify who was about to be taken away next.

Nigou came running to him as soon as he stepped into the house, barking excitedly at his feet and prancing about. Kuroko spared a moment to bend down and stroke the puppy’s head before making his way inside. He received the usual hearty ‘Welcome home!” from everyone in the living room as soon as he was spotted.

“I’m home,” he said in response, removing his hat and unwinding his muffler from his neck. He looked around as he shed his coat. “Where’s Shigehiro-kun?”

Just after he said it, Ogiwara popped his head out from the kitchen, his eyebrows raised. “Did someone call me?” He then noticed the blue-haired boy, and as always, broke into a grin.

“Welcome back, Tetsuya!” he greeted cheerily, and Kuroko couldn’t help but smile at his antics. Really, the boy just _radiated_ energy most of the time.

“I’m back,” Kuroko said, then went straight to the point. “Do you have a moment, Shigehiro-kun?”

“Hmm, just gimme a sec to finish washing the veggies first,” Ogiwara said and quickly darted back inside. Kuroko hung his coat on the stand and headed over to the kotatsu, the children there moving to give him some space as he approached. One of the best feelings in his life was to defrost himself there after a long, cold morning.

“Are you feeling better now, Tetsuya nii-chan?” One of the younger boys there asked once he’d settled down, his concern evident in his voice. Kuroko belatedly realized that he must’ve made the little ones worried sick with his behavior the night before. He was such an idiot, geez.

“I am,” he answered, and dipped his head in a slight bow. “I apologize for unsettling everyone yesterday night.”

“Well, as long as you realize that and you’re fine now,” Ogiwara said, tugging down the rolled up sleeves of his shirt while he exited the kitchen. “Then I suppose it doesn’t matter. Right, guys?”

Everyone cheered in assent, and for the umpteenth time in his life, Kuroko felt indescribably grateful to be blessed with such a family. He might not have parents or a home to himself or a life a normal fourteen-year-old boy would have, but that’s okay. That’s okay. Everything he had now was enough. He didn’t need, didn’t want anything else.

“So, what was it that you wanted to tell me?” Ogiwara came to a stop by his side, and Kuroko shifted to stand up. Apologies, he felt, should be done in private. He didn’t exactly want the other orphans to find out that he’d rudely snapped at the other boy, either. God knows how they would react if they discovered one of the closest pairs in the house nearly strained their relationship by accident.

“What - you’re going to confess to me or something?” Ogiwara joked when Kuroko led him upstairs and into their bedroom. When he received no reply, he couldn’t help but add, “ _Seriously_?”

“I want to say I’m sorry, Shigehiro-kun,” Kuroko said, turning to face him once he’d shut the door. He blissfully ignored Ogiwara’s lame joke. “For treating you like I did yesterday night.”

“You’re crazy to think I’d get offended by something as mild as that in the first place,” Ogiwara laughed, reaching to ruffle his companion’s hair. “How long do you think we’ve been together, you idiot? I of all people should know your tendencies to occasionally act like a brat by now.”

“Still,” Kuroko muttered, feebly swatting Ogiwara’s hand off his head in an attempt to make him stop messing up his already wild hair. “It was wrong of me.”

“It’s fine, okay?” Ogiwara told him, heaving a weary, but fond sigh. “Everyone has their off days.”

He slipped into a stretch of silence then, and Kuroko looked up in curiosity. Ogiwara was seldom ever at loss for something to say once a conversation had sparked up between him and another person. When he noticed the shorter boy staring, Ogiwara stared back, his gaze questioning. Something didn’t feel right, Kuroko thought, studying his companion’s face in a way that would make the receiving end feel very self conscious if he wasn’t used to it. Something about his tone of voice, the slight quaver in his laugh.

The smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.

“Shigehiro-kun,” Kuroko started, abruptly recalling about the people he’d seen exiting the house just now. “Is everything alright?”

No. Please, no. Not that. Not him. Anyone but him.

For a moment there, Ogiwara looked speechless. He had honestly not expected to be asked that at all. And at his hesitation to answer, Kuroko felt his heart sink. They can’t take Shigehiro-kun away. They just _can’t_. He was the only one left with him. Their whole group had been split apart all those years, and only Ogiwara had remained behind with him. They were the only ones left, and now some stranger was about to change even that. Kuroko didn’t want that. He didn’t want to lose the single closest brother he’d ever had in his life.  

“Just remembering about the assignment I have to do by next week - ack! _Tetsuya_?” Ogiwara promptly freaked out when he saw that the crestfallen look on the blue-haired boy’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Shigehiro-kun’s not leaving, right?” Kuroko asked quite suddenly, his gaze pleading. Ogiwara was pretty much failing to comprehend the whole situation.

“Who said anything about leaving?” he finally managed to blurt out after overcoming his stupor. What’s with _that_ all of the sudden?

“It’s just-“ Kuroko caught his breath, forcing himself to calm down and not jump to conclusions. This wasn’t like him. Calm down. “I saw some people coming out of the house just now when I was on the way back, and I got.. scared, I guess. I was afraid it’ll happen again.”

So that’s it. That’s why he looked like that for a moment there. “You’re worried that it’ll be my turn to go?” Ogiwara asked, and resisted the urge to sigh once more when his companion nodded. Tetsuya was such a _worrywart_ at times.

“I’m sorry to tell you, but you probably won’t be seeing the last of me anytime soon,” he said, and couldn’t help but grin when his friend’s expression rapidly filled with hope and relief. Really, the way he over-think things at times. “I’ll probably be sticking to you even after you’re _married_ , to be honest.”

“Then,” Kuroko could hardly stop himself from tripping over his own words because Shigehiro-kun wasn’t leaving, wasn’t going to leave him behind. “Then who were those people?”

“They just came over to drop down some donations and hand-me-downs,” Ogiwara explained, playfully throwing an arm over the smaller boy’s shoulders. “The usual, you know. So stop thinking only of the worst, okay? I won’t ever leave you, I promise.”

Before Kuroko could think of a reply, Matron’s voice sounded from downstairs, calling the both of them to help her with some things. Ogiwara perked up at the sound of his name, and retracted his arm.

“Let’s go before she starts storming up here with a knife,” he said, and Kuroko had no objections. Together, they headed back to the living room, to the warmth, to the company of the rowdy crowd they called family.

And though Ogiwara felt bad about not telling the complete truth, he was determined not to say anything. Because it was better if Tetsuya didn’t know.

**xXx**

Kagami ended up not hitting his father.

Don’t get him wrong -he still wanted to punch him in the face pretty bad. Only then _he_ was the one who’d ended up being woken by his dad instead of the other way round - which, was kind of a letdown, he had to admit.

Especially when the first thing the man did as soon as he regained consciousness was nag his son.

Kagami awoke to the call of his name with a snort, reflexively slurping up the drool that’d leaked out from the corner of his mouth. _Ew_. He cringed when he realized exactly how gross that was. Whatever. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. It didn’t exactly occur to him that his father was awake until he was called for a second time.

“For goodness _sake_ , Taiga, at least wipe that spit off your mouth.”

Kagami blinked, then looked up and at his father’s hospital bed. The man stared back at him, obviously not very impressed with his amazing ability to fall asleep on an uncomfortable chair. Kagami’s father looked pretty much like an older version of himself except for the eyebrows; the same dark red hair and eyes, the same gaze that looked like he was constantly glaring at everything. This was the man who could make his employees fidget just by looking at them. This was the man that Kagami sometimes hated because of the way he controlled his life.

And this was the man Kagami had been so afraid of losing the day before.

“Honestly - it’s already eleven and you’re still there sleeping like you own the place,” his father continued as Kagami wordlessly ran the back of his hand across his lips. “And _I’m_ the one supposed to be hospitalized.”

“Good to see that you’re alive too, Dad,” Kagami said drily, gracelessly wiping his drool-stained hand on his pants. He pretended not to notice the look his father was giving him. “How are you feeling, by the way?”

“Considerably better than yesterday, thank you very much,” the man replied stiffly with a soft huff. “Though I have to admit I still feel strangely drained even after so many hours of sleep.”

“You _do_ realize that you had a heart attack, right?” Kagami retorted, crossing his arms, and leaning back, not caring one bit if his posture was bad or whatnot. His father seemed to contemplate for a moment on whether or not to chide him before speaking again.

“I know that much,” he said, and Kagami raised an eyebrow at him.

“And you still expect yourself to be feeling fine and dandy after that?” he deadpanned. If his father was miffed by his tone, he didn’t let on.

“I suppose not,” he replied after a short pause. He then clasped his hands together, and turned to look out the window. “Though I _am_ a little worried about all the work I’ll be missing out while I’m here.”

“You’re going to die a workaholic one day, you know.” Kagami shook his head in defeat and stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets. His dad was really a lost case when it came to his job, sheesh. “Anyway, I’m just going to pop back home for a shower. I haven’t bathed since yesterday and I stink, _ugh_.”

“Good thing you realize that,” his father said without looking back, and Kagami couldn’t help but notice how his voice lacked the usual edge it always had in it.

“I’ll come again after lunch, okay?” Kagami told him, and proceeded to head towards the exit. He was just about to step out of the ward when his father called him once more.

“Oh, and Taiga?”

Kagami stopped, but he did not look back. “Yeah?”

 “Thank you for staying here with me throughout the night.”

“Heh. Don’t sweat it.” He failed to keep the smile from creeping up his face. “No matter how I complain, you’re still my dad, after all.”

Kagami didn’t stay to hear his father’s response. But as he walked through the hallways and headed to the elevators, he could feel it; the gentle burst of warmth in his chest, the little flutter of joy in his heart. As much as he tried, as much as he thought it was against his own dignity, Kagami couldn’t stop himself from feeling even the slightest bit of childish happiness.

His father hadn’t used that tone while speaking to him in a long, long time.


	16. Chapter 16

Ogiwara found lying very difficult.

Wait. Not _lying_ \- that’s too harsh of a word, he supposed. ‘Keeping a secret’ sounded a lot better. That was it. He was keeping a secret. He couldn’t say the truth because he was keeping a secret.

But still, it was against his blunt nature, and he found it incredibly challenging. He was sure he was going to mess up one day soon and let the cat out of the bag. _Absolutely_ positive, in fact. All he had to do was say something remotely suspicious or fail to control the twitch in his eyebrows or the corner of his mouth a bit, and it’ll be all over. Tetsuya will see the guilt in his face, will question him until he couldn’t stand it and blurt everything out in frustration.

It would really help if Tetsuya wasn’t so damned observant, but _nooo_ \- he was not only observant, but _insanely_ so. And it wasn’t really helping with Ogiwara’s problem. Avoiding him would only make things worse, he knew, so he had no choice but to put on an act and pretend that nothing was wrong, that there was nothing going on.

Ogiwara was given a week to decide. The couple seemed kind and nice enough, and they didn’t force him to be taken under their wing. Honestly, Ogiwara himself was surprised he was the one they’d requested. It was unusual for couples to adopt a child as old as himself. They usually preferred younger children - those around five years old, give or take a few years - for their memories had not matured completely , and it was easier for them to adapt themselves into a new family because they could be led to believe they belonged there from the start. Adolescents were more difficult to handle. Most of them got too conscious about the fact that they didn’t belong.

Ogiwara didn’t want to leave, of course. How could he? He didn’t have the heart. It might sound prideful of him, but without him by his side, Ogiwara was worried that Tetsuya might just break one day. He knew how much the leave of Daiki and the rest affected Tetsuya. Heck, he himself underwent a denial phase that point in time too because no, they’re not _supposed_ to leave; how could they turn their backs on them just like that? How could they just _leave_ like its nothing wrong? Ogiwara had thought of them to be utterly heartless, and perhaps even a little pretentious. Were the fun they experienced together just faked? Were those promises to stay together forever just empty lies?

It was ironic how he found himself in the exact same situation right now. Don’t get him wrong - Ogiwara wasn’t thinking of leaving because he felt he had no place in the orphanage or anything silly like that. He was wasting his time even _considering_ it because yes, money was offered for his adoption and he thought having one less person in the house would lessen Matron’s burden. On the other hand, when he really thought about it, with him gone, Matron would have one pair less of hands to help her. Would his absence really make things better for her?

“You have to think about your own happiness too, Shige-kun,” Matron told him one morning when they were cleaning up after breakfast together. Kuroko was out doing his job and the coast was clear for them discuss the matter - though they were both still careful not to do it too openly. The news would only upset the kids and they might accidentally blurt it out while talking and let it reach Kuroko’s ears. “There’s no point if you go and end up feeling unhappy and getting yourself depressed as well as bothering your parents.”

Ogiwara had stayed uncharacteristically quiet, not even voicing his protest that _she_ was the only parent he’ll ever admit to having. Of course he wouldn’t be happy. Not without Tetsuya there. Not without everyone there. There wasn’t even a need to ponder over it. He did _not_ want to go.

He was _so_ sure, yet something buried somewhere deep in the very depths of his heart made him think things over; something he couldn’t exactly figure out. Why was he still tormenting himself to make a choice even though his decision was already obvious? Ogiwara didn’t know, and it frustrated him to no end. There was no way he was going to be able to keep his composure in front of Tetsuya if this went on.  

“I really don’t want to go, Matron,” he said at last, putting away the final plate he dried and wiping his hands thoughtfully with a clean cloth. “But for some reason I just feel so.. _uncertain_. I don’t understand - I mean-“ he trailed off, and ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. 

Matron studied him in sympathy, and after a pause, reached over to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Ogiwara met her gaze, and felt a squeeze in his chest. He wasn’t that good in reading people compared to Tetsuya (face the fact - that guy’s on a league of his own), but he knew enough to tell that his mother figure trusted him to make the best choice, that he would make a decision he will never regret.

“Why don’t we stop talking about this for today?” she suggested gently when she saw how dangerously wet Ogiwara’s eyes were. This was really stressing him out, wasn’t it? Matron herself felt greatly dismayed by the events lately. All her kids seemed to be facing nothing but difficult decisions these days! First Tetsuya and now Shigehiro. They were supposed to be enjoying their youth without having to care about so many unnecessary things. Yet here they were, nearly reduced to tears because of the choices they cannot make.

“Go get yourself cleaned up, Shige-kun,” Matron continued as the boy hastily rubbed the base of his palms across his eyes. “Before you’re late for school.”

Ogiwara took in a deep shuddering breath, willing the urge to disappear. He couldn’t afford to look weird in front of the others; not the orphans, not his friends, and especially not Tetsuya. He had to stop before it was too late. He was a man, and men do not cry over little things like this. He took in another breath. He’ll be okay. He _had_ to be.

“Thanks, Matron,” he said once he found the confidence to speak again without a quaver in his voice. He flashed her a brave smile, and with a thumbs up, he headed back outside without another word.

He had to be okay. For everyone’s sake.

**xXx**

Kuroko knew something was off, of course.

Ogiwara tried very hard and was _almost_ flawless with his front - he had to give him that - but Kuroko had been with him his whole life. Even without physical indications, he could sense that there was something not quite right with his childhood friend. And when it came to Ogiwara, Kuroko knew he could trust his own intuition.

“Tetsuya?” Ogiwara’s voice called him out of his reverie. Kuroko blinked, his attention focusing on the boy seated in front of him. Ogiwara had long made a deal with the guy sitting before Kuroko in class to let him take his seat during lunch break. He was currently sitting backwards on the chair to face his companion, munching on a piece of rice ball as they conversed. “Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

“Not really,” Kuroko replied, taking a sip from his packet of milk. “You’ve got some rice stuck on the corner of your mouth, though.”

“Huh?” Ogiwara felt for the bits of grains Kuroko mentioned. He eventually found them and proceeded to gracelessly pop them into his mouth. “That aside, you sure you’re alright with eating just that much?” He motioned at the measly box of sandwich and milk Kuroko was having for lunch.

“You’ve asked that for about a million times, Shigehiro-kun.” Kuroko resisted the urge to sigh. “I’m fine.”

“You’ll never catch up to our height if that goes on, you know,” Ogiwara commented, and did his best not to smile when Kuroko’s lips formed a slight pout.

“I’ll managed somehow,” he insisted, and the taller finally failed to suppress his mirth. Kuroko glared at him as he chuckled helplessly.

“Ah, sorry, sorry!” Ogiwara apologized as soon as he regained his composure, wiping a stray drop of tear from the corner of his eye. When Kuroko harrumphed softly and sulkily averted his gaze, Ogiwara feigned panic, and reached to grab his hand. “Please don’t be mad at me, Tetsuya!” he pleaded, not without a hint of playfulness in his voice. “I’m really sorry for laughing! You’ll get taller, I’m sure of it! So don’t ignore meee!”

If Kuroko hadn’t had a soft spot for his childhood friend, he would’ve walked out of the classroom there and then. Unfortunately, the soft spot was still there, and all Kuroko could do was to look back and try to make Ogiwara lower his voice because he was sure the whole class was staring at them right then.

“Please quiet down, Shigehiro-kun,” he said in a hushed voice. “You’re disturbing other people.”

Ogiwara’s face lighted up with a grin, and he promptly shut up, dipping his head in apology. Tetsuya wasn’t mad at him. Not _completely_ , anyway. But that was enough. The two of them have argued before in the past, and the aftermaths were usually not very favorable. Twice Matron had to send them out to do chores together and make up while they were at it and five times Riko had yelled at them to just get over it because they were really starting to become annoying by deliberately refusing to talk to each other and making it very, very difficult for the others around them.

Needless to say, it never really ended well whenever they got on each other’s bad terms.

And of course, with everything going on, Ogiwara couldn’t afford to make Kuroko hate him. Not now -  and hopefully, not _ever_. Kuroko was mature for his age, and Ogiwara was sure he wouldn’t be too offended or miffed by little things. To really make him angry, he would have to do something utterly despicable.

And Ogiwara knew exactly what that something was.

“Hey, Tetsuya?” he spoke up, and Kuroko raised an eyebrow at him in question, noticing the abrupt change in his tone of voice. “You think you can spare some time to accompany me to town after school?”

**xXx**

Ogiwara wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do when they reached town.

Fortunately for him, he was saved by the ad they came across while they cycled their way there. Apparently there was a new confectionery shop someplace near the train station, and they were having a promotion in conjunction with their first week of opening. The fancy cakes and pastries which Ogiwara had honestly always wanted to try but would never allow himself to because they were _way_ too expensive, were sold priced less than half of the original. Ogiwara could’ve jumped off his bike on the spot to kneel on the ground and start praising the gods for this dumb bit of luck, but he refrained himself. He wasn’t that keen on making it obvious to the world that he was an idiot.

He hadn’t expected Kuroko to be as excited as him about the matter, but as it turned out, he was. He knew that from the tiny little sparkle the blue-haired boy had in his eyes when he saw the advertisement with him.  Ogiwara couldn’t blame him. Those pastries looked absolutely gorgeous. They’d be crazy not to try them while they had the chance.

So with anticipation in their hearts, they cycled to their destination in comfortable silence, only listening to the almost hypnotic sounds of traffic and the turning of the gears of their bikes. At one stop, Ogiwara reached to pull his muffler over his nose to filter out some of the freezing air because his nose was starting to hurt and his throat was beginning to feel parched. It was cold as usual that day, but he figured it couldn’t have been any colder than how it was in the early mornings when the sun had yet to make its appearance. For the billionth time, he wondered how Kuroko could’ve withstood such harsh conditions for so many years  - Kuroko, who was weak looking and a tad bit too thin to look healthy, whom he always teased for looking so frail and delicate.

Ogiwara was not afraid to take back every bit of all that nonsense right now. While he was shivering under his clothes, Kuroko looked like he barely even noticed the freezing temperature. The shorter boy was polite enough not to say anything and tried to look like he wasn’t judging him, but Ogiwara got the feeling he was feeling at least a little triumphant under that stoic mask. He figured it served him right for all the things he’d said and done.

They saw the line before they even reached the shop. It was to be expected, really, but there were just too many people. Ogiwara couldn’t help but wonder if queuing up would actually be worth it. Judging by the length of the queue, it would probably take them well over thirty minutes before it could be their turn. But they’ve also came all this way, he reasoned with himself, struggling to make a decision on whether to wait anyway, to look for another place, or to simply turn back and go home.

“Would you like to wait, Tetsuya?” he turned and asked as Kuroko came up beside him, his gaze too, fixed at the long line. “Or are you rushing to go home for something?”

“I’ve already called Matron to inform her about getting home late,” Kuroko said, his attention flickering towards his companion. “She told us not to worry and to take our time as long as we’re back before dinner.”

“So we’re getting in line?” Ogiwara asked, and after a brief moment of consideration, Kuroko shrugged, seeing nothing wrong with that. The two boys got off their bikes, and wheeled them towards the stands at the side of the roads before chaining and leaving them there to join the crowd.

Ogiwara lost track of time some time after the first ten minutes, but he guessed they’d probably been waiting for their turn for roughly an hour before they could finally set foot into the shop. Ogiwara knew he was unusually subdued that day and that Kuroko noticed that too, but the silence formed between them while they waited was rather comfortable and not as tense as the former had expected it to be. At one point, Kuroko whipped out his novel to start reading while Ogiwara busied himself with just observing and occasionally listening halfheartedly to the animated chatters of the people around them. It was surprisingly pretty relaxing, despite the constant buzz of the crowd and the loud laughs coming from the group of high school girls a little behind them once in a while.

The two boys did not exchange any words right until the point they finally stepped foot into the warmth of the busy store. The smell of butter and freshly baked goods and god knows what other kinds of wonders wafted in the air, and Ogiwara could feel his mouth watering already even though he estimated it would probably be about fifteen minutes more before their turn, judging by the length of the queue ahead of them. When he turned to look, he noticed that Kuroko too, had put away his novel and was ogling in awe at the beautiful works of confectionery on display in the glass cases.

“This is _so_ worth the wait,” Ogiwara breathed as he ran his eyes over the scores and scores of colorful sweets, gorgeous iced cakes, and creatively made desserts. Everything looked so great it almost hurt his eyes. “You decided what you want to have yet?”

Kuroko casted his gaze at the menu printed on a large blackboard just behind the counter, studying his choices. Ogiwara followed suit, and was promptly taken aback by the sheer number of options offered to them. What should he have? Ice-cream? Cakes? Macaroons? Crepes? Pudding? Or perhaps just some sweets?

After much contemplation while keeping an eye on the prices, Ogiwara finally chose to order a serving of crème brulee, while Kuroko settled with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream. And with the remainder of money they had left, they both contributed to buying a big box of assorted candies for the kids back home, as well as an elegantly made _wagashi_ modeled after a hydrangea for Matron. Even with the promotion going on, their purchase was slightly on the expensive side in their own standards. Ogiwara didn’t have a job and the entirety of Kuroko’s salary was given to Matron to handle the house expenses. However, every schooling child in the orphanage was given allowance, and the two of them were no exception. Kuroko’s was a little more than  Ogiwara’s because he worked for it, but the latter had never sweated the details. At any rate, they grew up to be careful with spending, and were therefore able to keep a decent amount of their pocket money in their savings.

And now Ogiwara was pretty sure he’d spent about a quarter of it in this shop.

Not that he regretted a thing, really.

The pair miraculously managed to find a table after paying for their purchase and retired there to have a taste of their food without any seconds thoughts. Ogiwara didn’t notice how tired his legs were until he sat down and felt his muscles relax. He exhaled a long breath, leaned back against his chair, and itched to massage his sore calves. Kuroko, on the other hand, chose not to show his exhaustion, instead busied himself with stuffing his schoolbag between his lower back and the back of his chair.

“How long have we been waiting, anyway?” Ogiwara muttered in a pathetic tone despite his earlier enthusiasm. Kuroko turned his wrist to glance at his watch.

“It’s only been around ninety minutes,” he answered, and Ogiwara bit back a groan. He was so out of shape, it was embarrassing.

“Great,” he sighed, and leaned forward once more. “Well, whatever. Time to eat.”

The desserts tasted every bit as great as they looked. Ogiwara forgot his dully aching legs as soon as he ate the first spoonful. Who cared if it was a little costly? The stuff was amazing. And when he looked across the table, he saw that Kuroko too, was loving his ice-cream. Ogiwara had never seen him look so contented in his life.

“Is it good?” Ogiwara couldn’t help but ask despite knowing full well of the answer. When Kuroko’s gaze met his, he could see the special sparkle in his blue eyes.

“Almost as good as the vanilla shake from Maji Burger,” Kuroko answered, and Ogiwara laughed. Trust _him_ to compare everything vanilla related to his favorite milkshake.

“Mind if I have a taste? You can take some of mine in return,” Ogiwara said, and they exchanged their food. He watched as his companion scooped a bit of crème brulee into his mouth, and felt himself breaking into a smile when the latter’s eyes widened slightly upon tasting the heavenly stuff. Then Ogiwara too, took a taste of Kuroko’s ice-cream and holy _hell_ he’d never eaten ice-cream as smooth and rich in flavor as this. If this place sold its stuff at its current price every other day, Ogiwara was pretty willing to get a job in manual labor so that he could get enough cash to treat himself and perhaps even the other guys in some sort of outing in the future.

Ogiwara managed to keep up a number of small talk with Kuroko for the rest of the time they were there, commenting on things like the weather and how his Phys. Ed teacher tried to kill him with a volleyball just the other day and how he wished spring would come quicker so it wouldn’t be so darned cold anymore. It was nice. It actually let him take his mind off the things that’d been bothering him so much. The stuff about him being adopted and all didn’t matter, at least not now. Not now when everything was so normal, so satisfying. Not now when all he wanted was for this moment to last forever.

It didn’t, of course. As soon as they finished their food - albeit a little regretfully - they put away the dishes they used to where they belonged, gathered their things, and went on their way. They were just heading to retrieve their bicycles when Kuroko abruptly froze in his tracks, causing Ogiwara to nearly bump onto him if he happened to be spacing out just a little more. The latter took a step back, wondering why he’d stopped so suddenly in the middle of the road.

“Tetsuya?”

Kuroko had his gaze focused on the street to their right, unblinking. Ogiwara followed his line of sight, wondering what could’ve been so interesting to have captivated the shorter boy like that. He saw nothing extraordinary; just people swathed in winter-wear walking briskly here and there. It took Ogiwara a moment to realize that Kuroko was staring at a lady who was standing in front of the display window of a boutique. She looked to be in her early sixties, dressed in a gray coat and a woolen cap on her head.

“Someone you know?” Ogiwara asked curiously. Maybe she was someone Tetsuya met during his deliveries? Ogiwara knew old people liked to wake up early to do stuff, and perhaps she was someone Kuroko always saw when he was cycling around doing his job every morning.

But instead of giving him a solid answer, the shorter boy merely shook his head silently, not taking his attention off the stranger. There was a weird look in his eyes, Ogiwara noticed. His gaze was somewhat.. _wistful_? Ogiwara wasn’t sure. Instead of saying anything more, he joined his companion in watching the stranger as she readjusted the strap of her dainty handbag over her arm, and walked towards their direction in surprisingly large strides despite her age and small stature.

Ogiwara wasn’t aware of it at first because they were so far away from her, but as she approached, he saw that there was something oddly familiar about her; the way her soft, kindly features were set, the slightly blank look in her big eyes. There was also this sort of aura around her that reminded Ogiwara of someone; this air of calmness and mediocrity belonging to one who probably never stood out much in crowds.

The lady must’ve noticed them staring because she smiled and nodded politely at them when she walked past. Ogiwara felt Kuroko stiffening beside him, looking rather queer. He would’ve joked and asked if he was so not used to dealing with females other than the girls in the orphanage and Matron that the lady made him nervous with just that friendly gesture, but he knew better.

Because he too, came to a realization.

“She kinda resembles you, don’t you think?” Ogiwara commented, almost nervously. “I mean - not in appearance and all, but the vibes I get from the two of you feels more or less the same.”

Kuroko only nodded wordlessly, yet to turn back and face his companion. He knew he’d never met her before in his life; never seen her in the streets, never saw her in pictures. Yet, there was a sort of unexplainable yearning in his heart when he saw her. He felt like he should go to her, to talk to her, to hear her voice. Just to let her know he was there.

“You don’t think..?” Ogiwara never finished the question because he knew that was exactly what Kuroko had been thinking. That he should be knowing this lady, that he should be running up to her right now to tell her that he was alive, that he’d grown up now and that he was doing great.

When Kuroko finally did face Ogiwara again, he was surprised at the expression the latter was wearing. Ogiwara had his eyebrows knitted and was biting down on the corner of his lower lip, the look in his eyes slightly pained.

“Say, Tetsuya?” Before Kuroko had the chance to ask, Ogiwara spoke first, his voice queer. “Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” Kuroko told him, and Ogiwara proceeded to take his hand and lead him aside so they wouldn’t be blocking the flow of people. Kuroko wondered why did the taller boy suddenly look like he was so hurt. Did something happen? Was it because he hadn’t been paying attention to him for the past five minutes?

“You’ve got to promise me not to freak out when I do, though,” Ogiwara said with a soft, hollow laugh before going straight to the point. “If your real family were to walk into our home one day and request to claim you back, would you agree to it? Ever?”

“The only family I have is Shigehiro-kun and the others,” Kuroko replied without even a pause. This topic on adoption again. It made him uneasy.

“Even if they were very, _very_ kind? Even if they say that they’re sorry? Even if the lady or man standing at our front door was your flesh and blood parent? Even if they promise you a life of a normal teenage boy? Even if they promise to let you visit the orphanage as much as you want after they’ve adopted you?” The questions were spilling out of Ogiwara’s mouth before he could control himself. He felt bad for suddenly bombarding Kuroko with so many demands for answer at once, but he guessed it was too late to take them back.

“I would still decline.” Surprised as he was, Kuroko still managed to keep his composure, holding Ogiwara’s gaze without faltering. Ogiwara stared back silently for a moment, then broke eye-contact, his eyes flickering to the side.

“Then,” he started in a voice so impossibly soft that Kuroko actually had to lean in slightly to catch his words. “Then what would you do if I’m the one going?”

What followed was a stretch of stunned silence that seemed to last for an eternity. Ogiwara dared himself to look back, bracing himself for the look of utter betrayal that he was so sure he was going to receive. This was it. He’d blurted it out. He was positive that with all the hints he’d given, Kuroko had gotten the message. There was no turning back. Ogiwara gathered his courage, and waited; waited for the words to accuse him, pierce him.

“If Shigehiro-kun thinks he’ll be happy that way,” Kuroko started slowly, his voice quavering with his struggle to push back the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to take away every bit of his rationality. His posture was stiff, tense; his fists clenched. “Then I have nothing to say about that. I will not criticize you for your choices.”

“But you’ll hate me, right?” Ogiwara added for him, and Kuroko said nothing. “You’ll think that you’d been wrong to trust me not to leave you like how the others did. You’ll blame me for breaking the promise I made, and you’ll blame yourself for not asking me to stay, for treating me coldly all those times and for taking me for granted.”

And before Kuroko could admit or deny to any of that, Ogiwara abruptly felt himself breaking into a soft, honest smile as the invisible burden he’d been carrying on his shoulders all this while disappeared the instant he found his resolve.

“Which is why I won’t go,” he continued after a split-second pause. It was when the words had left his mouth that he felt the solidness of his decision, that this was it; this was what he really wanted. “Because I know I’ll never be happy knowing that I’ve hurt you.”

From the way Kuroko stared at him then, Ogiwara half expected his childhood friend to start hitting him out of relief. He held his breath, anticipating the barrage of slaps, jabs or punches. But instead of all that, Kuroko merely tipped his head, and exhaled a long breath, his shoulders slumping forward. He stayed that way for a moment more before looking up again with enough fury in his eyes to almost make Ogiwara take a wary step back.

“How long have you been keeping this from me?” he demanded, his voice steely calm. Ogiwara involuntarily gulped. He was now two hundred percent sure Kuroko was going to murder him when they got home - and he was only willing to wait until then because he considered it indecent to be violent in the streets. 

“Four days,” Ogiwara answered nervously while fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. He cringed when Kuroko took in a sharp breath, and still refused to relax even when that breath was released in  a big sigh.

“Tell me, Shigehiro-kun,” Kuroko began, crossing his arms. “When were you such a hypocrite?”

_Ouch_. Here comes the accusations. Ogiwara thought he was prepared, but it still stung pretty badly. “I’m sorry.”

“Who was the one who always told me that talking to someone about my troubles would make me feel better?” Kuroko went on as if he had not spoken at all. “Who was the one who’d always insist for me to talk to him about whatever’s bothering me so I wouldn’t be miserable? Who was the one who’d always tell me to trust him and confide in him if the need ever arose?”

He paused, as if to have a good look at the remorse on Ogiwara’s face before landing the final blow. “Is it so hard for you to do the same with me?”

“Well, I’m talking to you _now_ , aren’t I?” Ogiwara muttered, and successfully earned himself a painful jab on the side.

“You could’ve said something earlier, stupid,” Kuroko said, not without the slightest hint of sulkiness in his voice. He didn’t look as angry now - just disappointed. Despite the lingering sting on his right hip, Ogiwara couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m sorry, Tetsuya,” he apologized again, stepping back and bending into a low bow. “I know I’ve been a first-class idiot, so please forgive me!”

He did not straighten up until Kuroko broke his silence with a sigh, and told him to do so. “At least it’s not too late.”

“So does this mean you won’t hate me?” Ogiwara asked, then threw himself playfully at his childhood friend. “Thanks so much, Tetsuya!”

Kuroko let himself be wrapped in his arms, blissfully ignoring the curious stares of the other pedestrians. They could judge all they want - what went on with the two of them were not their business. “But really,” he spoke up after a moment, sounding rather absent. “If Shigehiro-kun had truly wanted to go with another family, then I wouldn’t be in the position to say anything.”

“Aw, come on,” Ogiwara said, releasing the former from his hold. He kept one arm slung over his shoulder, though. “You know I’d probably change my mind at the last minute anyway. I can’t possibly start living with a couple of strangers all of the sudden and start calling them family when my heart is with you guys.”

At that, even Kuroko failed to suppress a hopeful smile. “I suppose so.”

“I’m still not sure what made me think that over though,” Ogiwara mused aloud, retracting his arm. “But eh - who cares about that. I’ve already made up my mind, and that’s final.” He shrugged dismissively and broke into a grin. “So. You ready to go home?”

“Actually,” Kuroko said, glancing at his watch. “I think we can spare a little bit more time here before we do. It’s not every day I get to go on outings with Shigehiro-kun like this.”

“If you say so.” Ogiwara chuckled lightly, feeling like laughing hadn’t been this easy for a long, long while. “Let’s get walking, then!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA IM LATE AGAIN GALSDJFASD
> 
> Thanks so much for still staying with me, guys ;;u;;.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha guys i'm so sorry for yet another late update OTL

When Kagami was told they were going to have a practice match with some other school the coming weekend, he was mildly surprised.

Teikou’s basketball club had practice matches frequently, but it was usually almost exclusively for the second and third string only because there were too many mediocre schools out there that were smart enough to not let themselves be crushed by the first. Not to show off, but Kagami had to admit that the first string members were pretty strong. They were all probably skilled enough to be the ace of any normal school.

That aside, the school they were playing against was all the way from Akita, which was surprisingly far off. Kagami knew Teikou was famous, but to have an opponent coming from someplace so distant was still quite unusual. They must be really keen and confident in their strength to be willing to challenge a school that’s practically located at the other end of the country. Not that Kagami cared for any of that. All that mattered to him was that he got to play a good game.

The few days of practice before a match regardless official or not was always _hell_ , and that week was no exception. Every member of the first string was required to do at least double the amount of training with the excuse of whipping them into shape as if they were ever out of shape in the first place. Forget the match - Kagami figured he’ll be dead two days before the darn thing even started. Sometimes, Kagami couldn’t help thinking their coach took matches _way_ too seriously. But at least they got let off early on the evening before the game so that they wouldn’t feel like their muscles were being char-boiled over slow flame the next day.

And when Kagami saw an old friend of his entering the gym the next morning with a whole bunch of other guys ( _huge_ guys, at that) wearing the same uniform, he did something what everyone would probably do when presented such circumstances. He gaped like a fish.

“ _T-Tatsuya_?” he managed to blurt out once he managed to regain enough composure to do so. He kept on staring at the logo on the other boy’s jacket to make sure he hadn’t made yet another stupid mistake. Sewn on the left chest of the garment in large, purple block letters was the name Yosen. No mistake there. Kagami rarely bothered remembering trivial details like the names of the teams they were playing against, but this one just stuck, for some reason.

“Taiga!” His friend perked up once he spotted him, his handsome features lighting up with a smile. “It’s been a while!”

Himuro Tatsuya was Kagami’s best friend back when he was still living in the States, and he was also the one who first got him into playing basketball. They were close to the point of calling each other brothers once upon a time, but something happened between them just before Kagami moved back to Japan, and they’d ended up parting on bad terms. Kagami knew it was cowardly of him to hope so, but now that he was seeing Tatsuya in person again, he prayed for all that to be left in the past and for the latter to forgive him.

Though now that he thought of it, he supposed that _was_ a little too much to wish for. That was the first time he’d ever seen Tatsuya so utterly _furious_.

“What’re you doing here in Japan?” Kagami headed over and asked in English - a force of habit rather than an attempt to show off. He made an effort to keep his tone light.

“My mum got transferred to Akita about half a year after you left,” Himuro replied, also in English. There was not a hint of undertone in his voice; or at least none that Kagami could detect at the moment. Maybe he really _had_ forgiven him. Kagami dared himself to believe that. “She offered to take me with her, so here I am.”

“Small world, huh?” Kagami mused with a laugh, and the other boy chuckled politely along. He noticed the absurdly tall purple-haired boy who was standing a little behind Himuro staring lazily at him, and Kagami was just about to make a retort when the former spoke first.

“Nee, Muro-chin,” he started in a drawling sort of voice, as if he couldn’t be bothered to spend the extra ounce of energy to speed up his speech. “Someone you know?”

“Yeah. He’s an old friend of mine,” Himuro answered him with a tone of infinite patience, one a parent would probably use when speaking to a small child. The giant studied Kagami for a moment, and without even a word of warning, reached to pluck out several strands at the split end of his eyebrow.

Painful did not even describe the sensation in the least. In fact, it hurt so much Kagami actually felt tears welling up in his eyes as he hollered at the guy for assaulting him so suddenly. Fortunately, before a ruckus could break out, Nijimura stormed over and slapped him hard on the back to make him shut up while the burly captain of the other team reprimanded the purple-haired boy for acting like a five-year-old.

“We’re really sorry for all the unneeded liveliness.” Nijimura clamped his hand on the back of Kagami’s head and forcefully yanked him into a bow with him. When they straightened up again, Nijimura noticed that the good-looking guy with half his face covered with his fringe was looking at him strangely.

“..Shuu?” Himuro said the name with utter bewilderment. Nijimura stared at him for a moment in confused silence, wondering how he knew him and when did he permit him to call him by his given name. It came to him a minute later, and he made a very loud noise of realization.

“You’re Tatsuya - was it?” he said, and Himuro nodded fervently, clearly excited by the recognition. Kagami didn’t know what was the relationship between the two of them, but somehow, he felt slightly disappointed at the difference in reaction; childish as it was of him. He and Himuro were best friends when they were children, and all he got was a short, casual greeting that came with a pokerface. Meanwhile, Himuro’s reaction upon meeting Nijimura was that of real pleasure; one that came with a certain twinkle in his eyes.

Kagami forced himself not to feel jealous just because he did not receive as warm of a greeting. He wasn’t a brat anymore, for goodness sake!

“I didn’t know you were attending Teikou,” Himuro admitted, taking no notice of the rest of his team who were moving to where their benches were at their coach’s command. The insanely tall guy still stayed with him, though. “And you’re the captain?”

“Apparently,” Nijimura told him with a shrug, and broke into a wry smile. “But today’s my last day. It’s almost graduation and it’s about time we let the juniors start doing all the work.”

“I see,” Himuro muttered thoughtfully, then met his gaze with determination. “I won’t hold back on you guys, then.”

“Just don’t look down on us, yeah?” Nijimura warned with a dangerous smile, then turned and headed towards their side of the gym, motioning for Kagami to follow him. Still very much confused but not as miffed, Kagami trudged after his senior, wondering if he should ask the question that’d been lingering in his mind since the beginning of the two older boys’ conversation.

But as it turned out, there hadn’t been a need for him to say anything. Nijimura must’ve seen the look of question on the redhead’s face because he later explained when they were warming up that he’d met Himuro when he was visiting his father who was receiving medical treatment in America last winter break. He’d had his wallet picked by some thugs and Himuro had aided him in retrieving it, and they’d become instant friends after that.

“And that’s about it,” Nijimura finished as he flung the ball in his hands into the basket, grunting softly in satisfaction when it sailed smoothly through the hoop with a _swoosh_. Kagami wasn’t sure which to fear more; the fact that such coincidence existed or the image of those poor guys his captain and surrogate brother probably beaten half to death to get the wallet back. And _wait_ \- Nijimura’s father was hospitalized?

“I’m joining my dad over there as soon as I graduate,” the older boy continued, once again reading the look on his junior’s face. Seriously -  the guy was simply too straightforward with his emotions at times. “So this will probably be my last game in Japan for a while.”

“I’ll make sure it’ll be one you’ll always remember,” Kagami found himself blurting out in promise, and blushed hard once it dawned him how utterly cheesy that sounded. “B-But it’s only a practice game and all and-“

He stopped midsentence when Nijimura barked out an amused laugh, and clapped his hand on his shoulder. “I’m counting on you then.”

And suddenly, nothing else seemed as important as not letting his captain down on the final basketball game of his middle-school life. Kagami had never been particularly close to Nijimura, but he respected him a great deal, and found himself surprisingly loyal to the older boy both as his underclassman and his teammate. Also, there was something about finalities that always made him sappy. Even though he constantly reminded himself that he wasn’t a kid anymore, Kagami always found letting go incredibly depressing.

Kagami took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. There was no time to think about that right now. He had to make things matter _now_.

“Alright.”

**xXx**

They won by just a small margin, and even that was only because the giant - Murasakibara or something like that - complained about being too tired of standing under the hoop all the time and outright refused to continue for the last quarter of the match.

Yosen was given the nickname “the Shield of Aegis”, and Kagami now knew why. With the Yosen players’ height and Murasakibara defending the basket, scoring was close to impossible. They still stood a chance with three pointers, but the easier layups and jump shots mostly got blocked the moment the ball left their hands. Murasakibara was not only unusually tall, but he also had a wide wingspan and quick reactions despite his lethargic demeanor, and that certainly made him resemble an impenetrable wall before the basket.

It didn’t help that their offense was formidable, too.  The other players were good, but Himuro was particularly a problem. Kagami knew it was stupid of him to think he hadn’t changed a bit over the months they were apart, but he was still pretty much in awe. Himuro’s play was like an intricate dance; graceful, seamless. Kagami found himself marking him during the game, and though he thought he’d probably be fine after all those matches they played together during the days, it hadn’t exactly been an easy feat. Himuro’s play style had minimum flaws; his fakes too real, his shots barely predictable. There was such an improvement in his skills that Kagami actually doubted for a second that he could handle him.

But Himuro wasn’t completely perfect in his play and Kagami was persistent as hell when he wanted to be and Teikou still had the upper hand in terms of ability, so the game ended with Yosen’s loss. Winning should’ve usually felt satisfying, but for some queer reason, Kagami merely felt numb. Maybe it’s because he was exhausted. Maybe it’s because it’s the third-years’ last game before they retire.

Maybe it was because this match was supposed to settle everything between him and Himuro according to that promise they made all those years ago, yet nothing seemed to have changed. There was still that little icy hint in his voice when he talked to him, that cold gaze when their eyes met.

Kagami lost the chance to have a proper conversation with his brother figure to finally - _finally_ \- clear things up with him because they had to stay behind to send the third-years off after the players from the other school left. But that could wait, he decided as he listened on to Nijimura’s short, awkward speech about how the past three years had been nothing but memories and how everyone used to be a pain in the butt but ended up making things more fun and other cheesy things like that. The older boy was blushing so hard throughout the whole procedure that someone at the back of the group snorted loudly and earned an indignant “ _Oh, shut up_!” from Nijimura himself.

“A-At any rate,” Nijimura coughed into his fist and cleared his throat after his outburst in an attempt to regain his composure. He was more than successful at that, as it turned out - because the rest of his words were free of stutters and rang loud and clear across the mostly silent gym. “I can proudly say that we will be leaving without any regrets. So thank you, everyone,” he paused, and bowed low, the rest of the third years following his gesture soon after. “For everything. Thanks so much.”

He waited for the round of applause he received to die down before announcing his successor. Kagami wasn’t the next captain, of course. The head coach would be crazy if he were to decide on selecting someone as hotheaded as him to lead the team.

With all the formalities over and done with, their short meeting finally adjourned, and soon Kagami was walking towards the school gates with a yawn escaping his lips after a quick shower. He noticed there were a couple of guys standing there as he approached, and nearly halted in his tracks when he realized who they were.

Wasn’t Tatsuya supposed to be going back with his team by now?

“You have anything to do after this, Taiga?” Himuro went straight to the point as soon as Kagami stepped within earshot. The redhead raised his eyebrows in surprise because he honestly thought he probably wasn’t the one they were waiting for. But he apparently was, and with his brain finally processing the question, he shrugged.

“Not really,” he said. “Why?”

“Do you think you can bring us to a particular place?” Himuro asked, then broke into a sheepish laugh, motioning to the tall boy behind him. “You see, Atsushi’s the one who wants to go and he claims its pretty near here; only then he doesn’t really remember how to get there.”

“I’m not very familiar with a lot of places here myself, to be honest,” Kagami admitted, scratching his cheek. Frankly speaking, he wasn’t exactly keen to do the purple-headed giant any favors since he was still bitter over the eyebrow incident. He decided to take it as merely helping his brother-figure instead. “But I guess I’ll try my best.”

“I owe you one.” Himuro smiled, then turned to his companion. “Tell him what you remember, Atsushi.”

And as Murasakibara described the place he wanted to visit, Kagami’s eyebrows only rose higher.

**xXx**

The day started off just like any other Saturday. Kuroko woke up in the ungodly hours of the morning, went for his job, and came home several hours later with his legs sore and his scalp clammy with sweat.

But for the first time in the past two months or so, it didn’t hurt as much to go outside and cycle around. He no longer needed so many layers of clothing, and breathing was easier, too. After a few months of having to brave the freezing temperature, Kuroko was finally rewarded with the warmth that came with the arrival of spring, and his job swiftly became far more enjoyable than it had been during those ridiculously dark mornings.

With his job done, Kuroko went home, and proceeded with his schedule of doing chores and entertaining the younger children. He felt oddly less exhausted that afternoon, the usual sluggishness that made his limbs feel weighted down absent. Maybe it’s the weather, he thought. With it being just the right temperature outside, Kuroko did not need to be burdened with the dread of being frozen half to death. He might have been a paperboy for some time, but it still didn’t mean he was comfortable with the harsh environmental conditions he was sometimes forced to endure in order to help support the family.

Kuroko and the others had just finished playing a game of tag with Nigou outside and had just closed the door behind them and proceeded to calm themselves from the excitement when the doorbell rang. Teppei, who happened to be the only free person at the moment, went to answer it, curious. They didn’t get visitors often. He undid the lock and pulled, cracking the door open by an inch or two to peek out.

He was pretty taken aback when he came face to face with someone’s chin. Teppei was the tallest boy in the orphanage, and he obviously wasn’t very used to being that much shorter than another person. There were some students from the high-school division who were taller than him, of course, but it was usually not by much. He could still be talking to them at face level.

Amid his stupor, something actually managed to click in Teppei’s mind. _Wait_. He hadn’t _always_ been the tallest guy in the house. Thinking back, there was another ridiculously tall boy who rivaled him in height despite being a year younger. He left them just a while back.

And Teppei was sure it was the very same person standing before him now. He unfroze, the surprise gone, and tilted his head up to meet a pair of constantly only half-opened eyes.

“Atsushi?” The name came out sounding more incredulous than he’d intended. He had admittedly never gotten along well with the younger, taller boy because of certain disagreements in opinions and some difference in viewpoints, and even now he could feel the tension in the air rising by a fraction when the recognition was mutual. The hostility was still there despite all these years.

“Ah, it’s Teppei-nii,” Murasakibara drawled with the slightest hint of distaste in his voice. Teppei heard it of course; he’d heard it enough in the past to remember it anywhere. While they shared a dislike that went both ways, Teppei was definitely better in masking his towards the purple-haired boy. Unlike Murasakibara who couldn’t really be bothered with being a good example to the younger children, Teppei was aware that his behavior as one of the older ones would somehow or another influence the other kids.

“It’s been a while since we saw you!” Teppei greeted with light tone and a smile that came unexpectedly easily. He opened the door wide and stepped to the side, gesturing mildly for Murasakibara to enter the house. “What brings you here all of the sudden?”

“I was in the area so I thought I’d drop by for a while.” The latter’s reply was blurted in a lazy mutter as he adjusted his grasp on his various bags of snacks in his arms and went indoors, closing the door behind him. His large frame took up almost the whole of the entryway when he bent down to remove his shoes, forcing Teppei to step back up onto the wooden flooring.

“Maybe you should let me take those inside for you first?” Seeing his struggle, Teppei offered to help. Murasakibara eyed him suspiciously before obstinately shaking his head.

“I’m not sharing,” he declared sulkily, and Teppei couldn’t help retorting indignantly to that;

“I don’t want any!”

At any rate, Murasakibara didn’t look like he was going to appreciate any help even if it was forcefully given to him, so Teppei left him to inform Matron and the others of the former’s arrival. Some things just weren’t worth it, he decided.

Kuroko was frankly astonished by the giant’s sudden visit. He did not expect _him_ of all people to personally make an appearance at the orphanage after leaving. In fact, he was the last person Kuroko expected to actually bother about coming back. Atsushi had never really been a nostalgic person as far as Kuroko knew. He didn’t _look_ like it, anyway.

“Tetsu-chin is still so tiny,” Murasakibara commented when Kuroko came out to greet him, a slightest hint of honest adoration in his voice. He reached out, and much to the shorter boy’s chagrin, placed his large hand on his head, and started ruffling his hair.

“Please stop doing that, Atsushi-kun,” Kuroko protested, attempting to swat Murasakibara’s hand away. He disliked him doing this because 1) it made him feel so damn _short_ , and 2) it was really annoying to have his hair so badly messed up like that. “And I am not tiny. You’re the one who’s too tall.”

“Yeah, but you’re still _really_ short,” Murasakibara insisted, only retracting his hand when Kuroko shot him a rare death glare. “I mean, you’re one of the shortest among all of us boys from the same age group.”

He really liked to get on Kuroko’s nerves at times. The latter took in a quick breath to keep his cool, before replying with a relatively demure tone; “I consider myself normal heighted, thank you very much. Everyone else is just tall.”

“Now, now children.” Matron interjected before they could start an all-out quarrel. She knew all too well how Atsushi was one of the only people who could annoy the ever-composed Tetsuya with his constant comments on the latter’s height. Despite his size, Atsushi was still practically an overgrown child. “I’m sure the two of you have better things to do than to squabble with each other the first thing after being separated for so long. Why don’t we all sit down and have a talk instead?”

As it turned out, they did _not_ sit down and have a talk. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say they _could_ not - mainly because the younger kids insisted on having Murasakibara lift them up because they thought it would be a thrill to be lifted so high up. And the tall boy himself had, much to everyone’s incomprehension, actually _agreed_ to play with them. He set his precious snacks aside, stood up, and bent down to pick the kids up one by one as though they weighed nothing more than kittens. He then let them clamber all over him like what they did to Kagami once and even allowed one of them to sit on his shoulders and play with his longish hair.

“Atsushi-kun’s surprisingly good with children.” Kuroko mused to no one in particular as he watched the scene before him with just a slight tinge of fondness. Annoying as he was to frequently tease him for his size, he was still a person Kuroko considered as an irreplaceable sibling. He remembered the old times where they’d shared snacks, laughter, and memories that too - mostly involved food, now that he thought of it. Nevertheless, he used to get along fairly well with the taller boy, despite all their dispute and disagreements.

“Hmm? Does Tetsu-chin want to be lifted too?” Murasakibara looked over his shoulder and asked, not without a tinge of smugness. Kuroko managed to keep a straight face and replied with a polite “No, thank you.”

“By the way, Atsushi,” started Ogiwara - who, belonged to the ‘Tetsuya protection squad’, and like Teppei, did not like the purple-haired boy much because he personally thought his teasing was overboard at times and could actually hurt Tetsuya’s feelings even if he didn’t show it. “Did I mention that Tetsuya and I went to this confectionary the other day and tasted some absolutely delicious sweets?”

And like everyone else, Ogiwara knew just what subject to touch to agitate the snack-loving giant.

“No,” Murasakibara stared at him intensely and breathed. Ogiwara smirked. _Hella_. “Where?”

“In town,” he replied, not even bothered to conceal his triumph. “And we even got them for less than half price because there was a promotion.”

Murasakibara’s reaction was almost instantaneous, the children all around him forgotten as he stood up and made sudden a lunge for the door. “Be right back.”

“Stop him!” One of the kids shouted playfully to his brethren, and half a dozen children or so lunged at the older boy, clinging onto his legs and arms to halt his movements. Kuroko doubted they knew exactly what was going on; they were most probably just unwilling to let a playmate go that easily. There was no turning back once you let the younger ones take a liking towards you, stranger or not. The spectators of the scene honestly could not decide on whether to pity him or simply feel amused. The latter seemed to be a better choice - particularly to Ogiwara because his laugh was the loudest in the house. He was clearly enjoying seeing the purple-haired giant struggling with the weight of the little monsters holding him down.

“You can’t go!” A little girl insisted when the Murasakibara tried in vain to shake them off. “We still want to play!”

To which the guy replied with a dramatic; “No! My sweets need me!”

“Well, if it helps I happen to be baking a cake at the moment,” Matron indirectly announced, and her statement was followed with an abrupt pause in noise. Murasakibara slowly turned to face her, his normally indifferent gaze suddenly very sharp and attentive.

“It’s almost done too,” Riko pointed out, happening to overhear as she walked out from the kitchen after cleaning up the used tea mugs. “It smells like heaven in there.”

“On second thought-“ The speed and the way Murasakibara moved back to his seat with the kids dangling off his limbs was almost comical. “-I think I’ll stay here just a little longer. Matron’s cakes are the best.”

“Why, I’m flattered!” Matron beamed, honestly overjoyed to know that the boy still remembered and thought so highly of her baking. Atsushi _did_ eat a lot of her cakes, after all. In fact, he probably ate the most. There were usually hardly any left whenever he was the first person to get a taste of her cakes and muffins, and she’d have to bake a second batch just so it would be fair for the others. Really, it’s a miracle that all Atsushi did was grow mostly upright and not entirely sideways with his diet.

“Come to think of it,” Kuroko came to a very abrupt, very belated realization. It hadn’t occurred to him that the taller boy was dressed in his school tee and track bottoms until that moment. “Atsushi-kun’s in a sports club?”

“Yeah,” Murasakibara nodded with a hum of acknowledgement, reaching for a packet of chips from the mound he’d brought with. His hands moved to open the packaging as he talked. “Muro-chin asked me to join the basketball club with him, so I did.”

Ogiwara raised an eyebrow at the mention of the unfamiliar name, curious. “ _Muro-chin_?”

“He’s someone I met when I entered middle-school,” Murasakibara explained with unrestricted briefness. “He walked here with me, but he’s gone off at the moment.”

“But wouldn’t he get lost? Since he’s not familiar with this place and everything,” Ogiwara said, genuinely a little concerned for this Muro guy. Their area _would_ be quite confusing for people who weren’t locals; with rows and rows of identical houses and roads that could lead to the other side of town if you took the wrong turn thanks to the lack of landmarks around. Ogiwara thought that if worst comes to worst, they would have to start a manhunt to look for Murasakibara’s friend.

“He’s got a friend with him,” Murasakibara replied between chews, his words muffled by the food he had in his mouth. Despite seeming like he was getting along well with the younger ones just ten minutes ago, he was doing a good job not letting them have any of his chips. “I heard them saying they wanted to talk or something.”

“So he knows someone here too, huh?” Ogiwara mused aloud, and the taller boy nodded, deftly moving the aluminum packet in his grasp away from the grabby hands of the little boy standing by his elbow. It didn’t even look like he was doing it on purpose, but by pure impulse. As though not sharing his snacks was engraved into his body as a reflex.

“He has weird eyebrows,” was all he had as a comment, and Ogiwara was just about to dismiss with an “ _okay_ ” when Kuroko spoke up.

“He doesn’t happen to have red hair and plays basketball too, does he?”

“Ehhh, how does Tetsu-chin know?” Murasakibara sounded mildly impressed. Kuroko shrugged, inwardly baffled by just how small the world was. Everyone seemed to be connected somehow or another!

“Just a guess,” Kuroko said vaguely, and Murasakibara didn’t pry. He wasn’t much of the kind to take interest in things that he found did not particularly concern him. He was just the sort of person to mind his own business most of the time.

“Say, Atsushi-kun,” Matron started, leaning forward with her eyes bright with enthusiasm. There was always one thing that she enjoyed most about the return of the children she once cared after. “Since you’re here and all, why don’t you give us an update on how you’ve been doing all this while?”

So Murasakibara had ended up telling them about his life with his adopted parents, though he was really good at mentioning strictly only the important things. He told them about his siblings, his new school. He recounted the first basketball game he took part in with ‘Muro-chin’ and how he could still not comprehend the reason why so many found bouncing and flinging a ball around so exciting. When Kuroko inquired about why he was still staying in the team when he didn’t particularly like it, his answer had been a simple “Because Muro-chin is there”.

“You seem to be really attached to this Muro guy,” Ogiwara noticed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he listened on. “I mean, he sounds like the only reason you’re doing anything at all, to be honest.”

“He must be an incredibly nice person,” Kuroko said, not able to help himself from wanting to meet this friend of Atsushi’s just to see what kind of guy he was and to thank him for always taking care of their overgrown five-year-old. A person who could make Atsushi play basketball by his own free will deserved to be respected. They usually had to ask him a couple of days in advance if they’d ever wanted him to join them in their games in the past.

“He is,” Murasakibara agreed, happily finishing a humongous piece of Matron’s freshly baked cake in no more than two bites. He had just swallowed it when the doorbell rang, nearly startling a dozing girl off her seat on the nearby sofa. “I think that’s him.”

“I’ll go get it,” Matron declared as she got on her feet, evidently very keen on meeting the person Murasakibara liked so much. Quickly slipping her slippers on once she’d straightened up, she headed towards the front door, shouting a “Coming!” as she made her way there.

She’d expected him to look kind and gentle (and perhaps even a little bit like Kuroko because they sort of had the same vibes from the sound of it), but she absolutely did not expect him to look that _handsome_. Sure, she’d raised some pretty attractive people like Ryouta before, but this boy here still nearly took her breath away. He was tall, and had bright gray eyes and a smooth, pale complexion that would make girls go green with envy. He had jet black hair with his fringe swept over the left side of his face, completely covering his eye (a fashion statement, maybe? Matron wasn’t sure). He smiled charmingly when their gazes met.

“Excuse me, but is Atsushi in there?” he asked, and it actually took Matron a moment to overcome her stupor and stop staring in order to reply.

“You must be the ‘Muro-chin’ we heard so much about!” Though her reply didn’t exactly turn out as one. Himuro blinked in surprise, totally not expecting to hear his own name from the lady at all. And it was the name that only Atsushi called him by, at that.

“And you must be the matron who raised Atsushi when he was younger,” he guessed, feeling a small burst of warmth well up in his chest at the sight of her because she was just as motherly as he’d imagined her to be. “I’m Himuro Tatsuya, Atsushi’s friend. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” Matron said in return, beaming. Looks like Atsushi found himself a really great companion. “Thank you so much for taking care of our Atsushi-kun all this while.”

“No problem,” he told her amiably. He then heard faint footsteps coming their way, and his eyes flickered to the space behind the lady before him. Matron glanced over her shoulder to see the purple-haired giant himself trudging towards them.

“I apologize for not being able to stay and chat for a little longer,” Himuro said as Matron stepped aside to make way for the boy. “But we’ve got to get back to the hotel before dark.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” Matron waved her hand dismissively. “I understand that you shouldn’t make your coach and teammates worry.”

Murasakibara was just about to turn around and bid Matron farewell after he’d rejoined with his companion when a thought abruptly popped into his mind. “Ah, come to think of it - Tetsu-chin?” he called, and Kuroko literally popped up by Matron’s side. He had apparently followed him out to see him off without him noticing. The usual. Murasakibara was still startled, though. It’d been a long while since Kuroko used his lack of presence against him.

“Yes?” Kuroko prompted, inwardly feeling satisfied with his achievement. That’s what he got for calling him short when he was really not _that_ short.

“Do that again and I’ll crush you,” Murasakibara threatened, a hand immediately clamped tightly on Kuroko’s head. He was obviously unimpressed by the smaller boy’s feat. When he squeezed, he earned himself some ‘ _Ow, ow, ow_ ’s and a ‘ _please let go Atsushi-kun it’s starting to really hurt’_. He indulged himself in what he was doing for a while longer before he gave in to both Kuroko and Himuro’s pleas and stopped. He wasn’t even that sorry when Kuroko shot him a glare as he nursed his head.

“Anyway,” he breathed, moving to readjust his grip on his snacks. The annoyance in his voice was gone, replaced by his usual lethargy. “You heard from Sei-chin lately?”

Kuroko was taken aback for a moment. That was a name he did not anticipate hearing in this conversation. “Seijuurou-kun?”

“And who else did you think I might be referring to?” Murasakibara retorted flatly, though he understood the former’s bewilderment.

“I’m sorry,” Kuroko apologized, taking in a sharp breath to regain his composure. “But no, I haven’t heard a word from and of Seijuurou-kun ever since he left.”

“Is that so.” For a second there, Murasakibara seemed to be contemplating something in his mind. That, along with the sudden mention of Seijuurou’s name, made Kuroko uneasy.

“Is something the matter?” Matron asked, her eyebrows knitted slightly with concern. “Something we should be knowing?”

“Actually, I have no idea, either,” Murasakibara admitted, immediately and effectively killing the mood. “It’s just that I haven’t seen him in a while and I was just wondering how he was doing.”

“I.. see,” Kuroko muttered, not completely convinced. He had no choice but to let the matter drop for now.

“Well, now that there’s that,” The taller boy concluded, sighing softly under his breath. “I have to go now.”

“Feel free to give us a call once in a while, okay?” Matron said before he could walk off. “And take care of yourself.”

And as Kuroko stood by his mother-figure’s side to watch his childhood friend leave, he spotted a familiar figure just beyond their gates. Kagami returned his wave halfheartedly when he saw him, but there was something else Kuroko couldn’t help but notice.

They were standing too far apart from each other for him to be sure, but he hadn’t seen that sort of look in his eyes before.


	18. Chapter 18

Kuroko was pretty surprised when his phone buzzed to life during lunch break.

Ogiwara had paused from his rather animated chatter to let Tetsuya check if it was an emergency or anything of that sort. It was unusual for him to receive messages at this time of the day. He sat back and waited as Kuroko scanned his eyes over the contents once before snapping the device shut and shifting his attention back to him.

“You were saying?” he urged, the look on his face utterly unchanged. Ogiwara raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing important?” he asked, and Kuroko shook his head.

“Not really,” he said, pausing to take a sip out of his milk packet before he resumed talking. “It’s just that you’ll probably have to go home first without me later, Shigehiro-kun.”

Ogiwara tilted his head slightly to the side, curious. “Something up?”

“Apparently,” Kuroko murmured, looking thoughtful. Ogiwara took a moment to study his face. Ah. He got a feeling he knew what’s up. 

“Just try not to come home too late, okay?” he said, willing himself to let the subject drop. He figured he really shouldn’t pry too much into his brother-figure’s business. Tetsuya had a life of his own too. They were all old enough. It was about time for him to stop being so overprotective over him.

“I will,” Tetsuya promised, and Ogiwara broke into a grin. He’ll definitely be back earlier than they’d expect.

“So,” Ogiwara leaned forward once more with his returning excitement. Kuroko was almost tempted to point out that he was about to fall off his chair if he kept sitting like that. “About the coming spring break..”

**xXx**

When Kuroko arrived at the bus stop, Kagami was nowhere to be seen.

He casted his gaze around just in case the redhead was actually there and had just wandered off somewhere, but considering how tall he was, Kuroko guessed he wouldn’t miss him if he was. Exhaling a breath through his mouth, Kuroko leaned his bicycle against the side of the stand and walked over to take a seat. He casted his gaze into the distance, silently admiring the view. It wasn’t every day he got to spend some time alone outside like this at this hour.

Winter had finally came to an end and the cherry blossoms were beginning to bloom. Spring was starting to cover the bareness of the previous season; the trees no longer leafless, the sidewalks no longer layered with white. Spring represented renewal, rebirth. A season of beginnings as well as endings. Once graduation came around, Kuroko would be starting a new semester in school as a third year. And once the next spring came along,  he’d be a high-schooler. Now that he thought of it, time did seem to pass incredibly fast all of the sudden.

Before he knew it, Kuroko would be old enough to leave the orphanage, find a real job and have a home of his own. It will be his turn to leave.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Kuroko regarded the newly-arrived redhead out of the corner of his eye. It randomly occurred to him that it’s been a while since he saw him in his Teikou uniform. He looked sloppy; with his cardigan unbuttoned and shirt untucked. Kuroko didn’t think Teikou was that lenient with the dress code since it’s a private school and all, but then again, it was Kagami they were talking about. He probably wouldn’t care either way.

“It’s alright. I just got here myself,” Kuroko said, shifting to give the redhead some space to settle down. Kagami sat down rather heavily beside him, heaving a sigh as he did so. He looked more physically drained than Kuroko had seen in a while.

“Sorry for dragging you out here all of the sudden,” Kagami muttered absently, raking his fingers through his hair.

“Kagami-kun’s apologizing a lot today,” Kuroko pointed out, and Kagami laughed without much humor. Judging from the air around them so far, Kuroko figured  the redhead’s really bothered by whatever’s on his mind at the moment.

“I guess I am, huh?” was all Kagami said before falling silent. It’s a little unlike him to be this distraught. Kuroko was somehow reminded of how he himself had been a few months back when he was utterly undecided and at loss over Daiki’s problem.

“What did you want to talk about?” Kuroko wasn’t usually the one to break the silence, but he supposed he had no choice if he wanted to actually get things done. Kagami didn’t reply right away, instead choosing to stare into space a moment longer before breathing a huff, and turning to face the shorter boy.

“Hey, Kuroko?” he started, and Kuroko recognized the look in his eyes as the very same one he was wearing when he spotted him outside their home during the time he was seeing Atsushi off. “What should I do if someone I’d considered my own brother for the longest time decides to never be my brother anymore?”

Kuroko raised an eyebrow at him before taking a wild guess. “Is it Himuro-san?”

Kagami didn’t even bother asking him how he knew. “Yeah. It’s about a promise we made a long time ago.”

And he proceeded to tell him all about how Himuro was his first friend when he just moved to the States and how he was the one who’d gotten him so hooked on basketball. He told him about the healthy rivalry between them and how they’d had an agreement to decide on who’s better by going head to head in games. He recalled how they’d finally ended up with a draw of fifty wins each, and how Himuro had warned him to not go easy on him on their match to decide the victor of their agreement despite having just injured his ankle recently.

“I honestly thought I gave it all I had,” Kagami resumed after a pause for a breath, absently twisting his fingers. “Tatsuya won that match, but he told me it didn’t count because he felt I was holding back despite what he said. He got _really_ mad at me after that.”

“And then he chose not to be your brother any longer?” Kuroko asked, and Kagami shrugged one shoulder.

“He told me that after the next match, no matter what  the outcome would be, we must stop acknowledging each other as brothers so that we could be actual rivals.” He frowned slightly. “We didn’t manage to play in another game in time before I returned here. When I saw him with Yosen for that practice match that day, I was hoping he’d forgotten. I was hoping maybe he’s no longer angry at me after so long. But I was wrong.”

“So you’re here now to ask me if you should leave it as that,” Kuroko finished for him. Kagami shifted his gaze, lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck.

“Sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” Kuroko told him earnestly. Really, he didn’t mind. “Kagami-kun has done so much for me. It’s the least I can do to help you out in return when you need it.” He then slipped into a moment of thoughtful silence before speaking again, tapping his chin as he tried to sort things out in his mind. “First thing’s first, are _you_ happy about it?”

“You kidding? I practically lost sleep over this,” Kagami returned in a deadpan and Kuroko couldn’t help blanching.

“Ah, my bad,” he said, sounding a little embarrassed. He really wasn’t that good at this, was he? He was pretty much just remembering how his conversations with Ogiwara and Matron always went whenever a similar subject popped up in their conversation. Well, whatever. He should still try his best. “You’ve tried talking to him about it, haven’t you?”

“Tatsuya’s insistent,” Kagami affirmed, lacing his fingers together to stop his own fidgeting. “And part of me sort of agrees that perhaps I deserve it. I shouldn’t have looked down on him on that match. I should’ve respected him and gave it all I had like he told me to.”

“But isn’t breaking off your brotherhood just because of a game a little too much?” Kuroko pointed out, and Kagami couldn’t help thinking he was a right, in a way. “I mean, you’re also at blame for hurting his pride, but was it really worth ruining your friendship over?”

From his hesitance, Kuroko could tell he thought not. Throughout his entire childhood, Kuroko had forced himself to accept being separated from his siblings in the orphanage because adoption wasn’t really something he had any say over. It’s not like he could start screaming and throwing tantrums when a family decides to take one of them in. And it’s because he’s aware that their time together was limited that he’d learnt to cherish every bond, every moment he had with them while he still could.

If it’s within their control, Kuroko wholeheartedly did not want Kagami to lose a brother who obviously meant so much to him.

“Don’t you think you can be rivals _and_ brothers at the same time?” he asked, and from the way the taller boy stared at him then, he guessed that hadn’t really occurred to him until he mentioned it. Sometimes, Kuroko wasn’t sure whether to feel baffled, amazed or simply weary at Kagami’s ability to keep such a relatively narrow perspective of things. All he had in his mind was basketball, huh? That couldn’t be healthy, but he supposed there’s still time for him to improve.

“Try talking it out with him again,” Kuroko suggested further. “Perhaps all he wants is a proper apology from you. Tell him how you really feel, and I’m sure Himuro-san’s will understand and think it over.”

“I guess I’ll give it a shot?” Kagami muttered, still sounding slightly uncertain. “I just hope he’ll pick up my calls.”

“He will,” Kuroko assured. If he could put up with Atsushi’s childishness on a daily basis, he should be sensible enough to listen to a childhood friend. “Have some faith in him, Kagami-kun.”

After all, it’s spring; a season of renewals, restarts. And perhaps, in this case, it could even be a season of second chances.

**xXx**

On the first two days of spring break, Kuroko went for a school trip to Kyoto.

It’s a joint event that involved Ogiwara’s class and his own, with the former being one of the people who’d suggested organizing it in the first place. Ogiwara had reasoned that they should have one last good memory together after the grueling final exams before getting separated the following semester, and since his homeroom teacher happened to be a really close friend to Kuroko’s, it was a given that the two classes were going together.

Embarrassing as it was for him to admit, Kuroko couldn’t really sleep the night before the big day. He couldn’t help feeling excited because it was his very first school trip. He’d never taken part in those held by his past classmates because he thought he should just stay at home and help Matron take care of the children and all that. Ogiwara had tried his best to convince him this time, and with the help of Matron and the rest of the older children, he was successful. Kuroko had finally allowed himself to indulge for once in his life.

Kuroko was kept awake by sheer adrenaline right until the point where they boarded the bullet train. Ogiwara did not even bother to tease him for conking out as soon as he settled down on his seat because it wasn’t like he was in a better condition, really. He’d practically gotten out of bed still half asleep.

Kuroko woke around ninety minutes into their journey, leaving him a little less than another hour to actually admire the scenery outside. He leaned a little forward to peer past the sleeping Ogiwara (who, was in danger of drooling all over his collar) and out the glass window. With the speed and direction of the train, it almost looked as if the landscape was flowing backwards as a massive, colorful river. According to the text projected by the pixilated screen up front, they had already crossed the border between Tokyo and Kyoto, and they were currently travelling past the outskirts of the latter. Everywhere he looked, Kuroko saw greenery; fields that spread far and wide, hills that blotted out the sky. It was a pleasant contrast to home; the lack of buildings and concrete.

Eventually, Kuroko could see the transition from the outskirts to the town area. It began with more houses popping up, followed by shops, flats, and office buildings. Ogiwara awoke just as they were entering the main city, greeted by the impressive assortment of skyscrapers that rivaled those in Tokyo. He took a second to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand before turning to ogle at the sight beyond the window, amazed by how the city seemed so familiar yet so foreign at the same time.

Kuroko was sure he wasn’t the only one who’d barely heard stewardess when she reminded everyone on board to not leave anything important behind before they got off. The teachers who chaperoned them were every bit as excited as their students; they practically raced them out of the train and onto the platform. As he was shuffling his way out, Kuroko felt Ogiwara taking his hand to make sure he wouldn’t lose him in the crowd. He didn’t complain. With all the excitement, he was a little afraid he would’ve been pushed right back into the train, too.

Kyoto Station, needless to say, was huge and quite overwhelming. Unlike the unique olden Western design of its counterpart in Tokyo, this place was the image of modernity - especially its main courtyard. Everywhere they looked, it was glass, metal and concrete.  Kuroko could only barely stop himself from gaping as he tilted his head upwards to admire the weave-like criss-cross design of the ceiling above them. He had to be careful not to wander too far away from the group because there were loads of people around since it was spring break.

The students were later given some time to make a trip to the restrooms and explore the station a bit before they were to regroup once more and proceed to their next destination. Ogiwara immediately dragged Kuroko to browse through the few shops he’d had his eye on when they walked past earlier. Most of them were souvenir shops selling the local specialties while a few others were snack booths with way too many people for Kuroko’s comfort.

The students of the two classes regrouped in front of the main entrance around thirty minutes later to board the bus and head to their next destination. While many others were either busy chattering among themselves or taking selfies and the like, Kuroko and Ogiwara once more focused their attention to gaze at the view outside. The two of them had never actually been to the center of a huge, modern city before and everything seemed almost alien. The streets were different, the buildings were different, even the trees were different.

It was amazing.

Going to Kyoto, it’s a must for them to visit at least a shrine or two, and that was exactly where they were headed. The bus came to a stop a little distance from the huge Torii gate of the renowned Heian Jingu Shrine. As much as he looked forward to seeing the place, Kuroko couldn’t help dreading having to get off the bus because he could already see just how packed  it was. The experience was something else, but the memory of countless elbows to his ribs and a variety of body odor didn’t exactly sound appealing.

Kuroko gathered the willpower to drag himself there anyway; he figured he’d already came this far. Ogiwara was once more careful not to let him disappear into the crowd by holding on to his sleeve - with the number of people around combined with his weak presence, Kuroko would practically be impossible to find if they were to lose him then. The last thing Ogiwara wanted was to go home the morning after the next and report to Matron with tears in his eyes that they’d lost another sibling and it was his fault. It wouldn’t be pretty.

The group was directed to pay their respects to the deities of the shrine before they were left to their own devices. Kuroko and Ogiwara were at once compelled to find a spot that’s not so crowded with people, and it wasn’t long before they ended up in the gardens. The main attraction itself was impressive enough, but the beauty of the gardens was breathtaking. It almost seemed as if they’d stepped into another world entirely! The place was a lush expanse of flowers and greenery. Trees with low branches formed canopies across the garden. Tall cherry blossom trees that were soon to bloom stood proudly in rows and clusters, their branches already dotted with pink in preparation for their moment of glory.

The pair chatted idly as they strolled down the gravel paths, discussing trivial things like the new school year and how a good number of the younger children at home would be starting elementary school soon. Their mornings would be livelier, and the house would undoubtedly be a whole lot quieter with their absence during school hours. There would be more stories to trade during dinner, more new experiences to share.

“Everyone’s growing up,” Kuroko murmured, seemingly dazed with the realization that abruptly hit him. Hearing that, Ogiwara barked out an amused laugh.

“We sure are,” he agreed, scratching the back of his head. His expression quickly grew somber. “I’m not sure I’m too ready for all these slowly becoming adults business, though,” he admitted sheepishly.

“It’ll be alright,” Kuroko assured, staring at his own feet as he trudged on. “We just have to take things one step at a time.”

“You make it sound easy,” Ogiwara whined, kicking a stray pebble off his way. Kuroko shrugged.

“I have to,” he said, glancing at his companion through the corner of his eye, the corners of his lips lifted in a small, weary smile. “Or else I’ll be afraid of the future too.”

“Let’s just be afraid of it together, yeah?” Ogiwara proposed, playfully slinging his arm across the shorter boy’s shoulders. Kuroko didn’t try to push him away, instead letting himself indulge in the moment a few minutes longer. That’s right. They’re not alone. They had friends and family who would walk on the same road with them. And they’ll meet new people on the way. It’s okay. They’ll be fine. They won’t be alone.

“I’d prefer not to be scared at all, frankly,” Kuroko said, coming to a stop at the end of the garden path. Before them was a big pond of sorts; the water crystal clear with clusters of lily pads scattered randomly on the surface, the smell of fresh dampness hanging in the air. A series of circular stone steps led to the other side of the pond, continuing in yet another gravel path.  

“Knowing you, you’ll probably survive, no problem,” Ogiwara told him, kneeling down next to him by the edge of the pond to peer into the water. There weren’t many fish around as far as they could see, but they did manage to spot some tadpoles and a couple of carps swimming around. The silence that surrounded them as they gazed into the water was calming; the tranquility of it all a nice difference to the bustle back at the shrine centre.  

They stayed there a little while longer before deciding to cross the pond and go to the other side. Ogiwara daringly hopped from step to step while Kuroko trailed behind, wary of falling into the water. The latter figured getting soaked would be too troubling in a school trip. Nevertheless, they managed to go over safely, and they were just about to go on their way when Ogiwara abruptly stopped in his tracks, causing the shorter boy to accidentally bump into him.

“Ah, sorry,” Kuroko immediately apologized, but Ogiwara didn’t seem to have heard him. Curious, Kuroko leaned slightly sideways to look ahead, wondering what could’ve halted him.

There was a group of students standing several meters in front of them, huddled together in a casual conversation. Standing among them and looking comically dwarfed due to the difference in height between him the rest of his mates, was a boy of Kuroko’s age with short, slightly messy bright red hair. With his arms crossed and the set of his shoulders, he carried an air of certain elegance around him, his posture that of relaxed confidence. He was exactly how Kuroko remembered him to be, yet something didn’t seem quite right. He used to look softer, kinder, less calculating. His left eye used to be red like its right counterpart and not the color of liquid gold.

But with that overall appearance and demeanor, there was no way it couldn’t be-

Kuroko glanced down to see Ogiwara slowly curling his fingers into a tight fist, before muttering a name.

“Seijuurou.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess even a sorry wouldn't cut it for this incredibly late update? ;u;.
> 
> I still don't have much ideas on how I should go about Akashi's situation? I guess the next chapter will take a while as well. I'm sorryyyyy
> 
> *Also, please note that there will be a ton of inaccuracies as I've never been to Kyoto in my life and that I'd written the part based solely on imagination and images I found on Google.


End file.
